


Alolan Dreams

by CaptainJJ



Series: The Cowboy and A Dreamer [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Found Family, Gay, M/M, Our heroes are aged up to 15, Romance, Slow Burn, a little angst as a treat, aged up AU, for real lots of cute gay stuff, longfic ahead, maybe some suspense, mlm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-14 13:20:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 22,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29296545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainJJ/pseuds/CaptainJJ
Summary: After an eventful week-long trip in the Hoenn region, Ash and Goh are officially dating. When they're home to the Cerise lab, the word is that they're going to Alola to do research for a month! It looks like their visit will coincide nicely with summer vacation at the Pokemon School. What kind of shenanigans can the crew get into in Alola? Will CaptainJJ EVER learn to make more compelling summaries for his stories?Find out as you read about the Alolan Dreams with Familial Themes.I will be doing my best to update this at least once a week. I'm hoping to update twice weekly, though, so it'll just depend on the week. :)(btw, the title is not literal; they are actually going to Alola, I just wanted it to rhyme with themes for the memes, hah.)
Relationships: Burnet-hakase | Professor Burnet/Kukui-hakase | Professor Kukui, Gou | Goh/Satoshi | Ash Ketchum
Series: The Cowboy and A Dreamer [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2151546
Comments: 58
Kudos: 47





	1. Prologue: Cowboys And Dreamers

**Author's Note:**

> There is no need to read the previous entry in this series; the prologue here in chapter 1 should be more than enough for ya! However, if you're interested, give "There's No Place Like Hoenn" a read. It has some very.... mature themes, though, so read the warnings carefully. It is my hope to make this story contain little-to-no smutty scenes. Any chapters that DO contain these types of scenes will have a warning posted upfront and will be completely skippable without missing out on any plot. I may also have some chapters that end up with some violence, I'll be sure to warn you about that, too. <3
> 
> In this work, the boys are aged up to 15 years of age. Ash actually acknowledges that he's done a lot of things (basically, the entire anime is his backstory instead of the somewhat limited amount of content the writers of the anime tend to let slip through each new series).
> 
> Thanks for reading. I'd love it if you'd leave a comment on the story for me! Kudos are also appreciated, but I absolutely live for comments! :) tbh if any of you comment regularly I'll probably just explode with joy. so. do that, if you're so compelled.

By the time the boys stepped out of the taxi at the Vermillion City Pokémon Center, it was dark. Ash breathed in the cool air as Goh paid the taxi driver. Ash was a country boy at heart, but he found that he could tolerate the cities alright. The city strip’s true beauty was revealed with the glowing neon signs and their reflections in puddles from some recent rain. The taxi pulled away, and the boys looked at each other. Goh sent out Raboot and smiled. “Let’s go.”

Ash followed along as they pushed through the passerby; not many people were out at this time of the night around here.

They crossed the street and walked, with Raboot and Pikachu walking close behind them. “So, you wanted to talk?”

Goh replied, “Yeah.” They had a decent 5-minute walk before they got to the Cerise Lab, so Goh got started. “So, we took things a bit… fast last night.”

Ash laughed. “Yeah, we were both a bit riled up. I still cannot believe how good that one thing felt.” Ash blinked, realizing something. “Errr… I didn’t do anything wrong, did I?”

Goh laughed. “No, no! I just thought that I’ve never done this romance thing. Have you?”

“Can’t say that I have, no. I’ve seen others do it but never done it myself.”

Goh conceded, “You’ve seen more than me, then. See, I was one of those boys that spent a lot of time reading books.”

Ash interjected, “You still do, really. The last time I saw your library card, it was all faded down. And you got it like the same week we moved into the Cerise lab, so that’s impressive.”

Goh nodded. “You’re right. Anyway, I’ve read a lot of romance stuff. And it seems to me like we were a bit extreme last night. Let’s try doing the whole boyfriends thing a bit more gently than we started.” He grabbed Ash’s hand. “I like this. Can we start with this and some kissing, at most? The other stuff will still be there in a few weeks or whenever. I just want to go on some dates, get to know you better.”

Ash was quiet for a bit before he replied, obviously lost in thought. “Well, I agree, yeah. Let’s slow down, some, that’s fine.” He paused, thinking of how to say what was next. “Though I’ll be honest, you know me pretty well. I’d say, of all the people around my age, only Brock knows me better. Kukui and Burnett know me very well, too, especially Kukui. My Mom and Pikachu might be able to teach you more than any of them, though.”

“Pika!”

Goh half-smiled. “Yeah, I figured you’d say that. But can you honestly say you know me as well as you think that I know you?”

Ash stopped in his tracks, genuinely perplexed by the question, but the answer came back quickly. “No.” He kept moving, really processing that. “But I still know you pretty well from watching the way you interact with your Pokémon and your parents. I’d like to know more about you, though. Like I said in Hoenn… You’re special. Among everyone I’ve ever met, you’re the only one who makes me feel the way you do. I feel like together, we could do anything.”

Goh nodded along. “I agree, man.” He could see the driveway of Cerise lab in the distance. “Also, one more thing before we’re there. Are we gonna be open about this at the lab? Or…”

Ash shrugged. “I dunno, whatever you want to do.”

“Let’s keep it quiet for a week or two, then.”

“Alright.” He pulled Goh to a stop under a streetlight. He grabbed both of Goh’s hands and said, “Hey. There’s an old country song I heard a lot back home. It’s a song about cowboys.” He looked Goh in the eyes. “And it’s been on my mind a lot the last year or two.”

“Wh-what do you mean?”

Ash sighed, “Goh. I’m a cowboy.” He averted his eyes. “… At least, I think I am… I know that sounds silly, but… I mean, I’m a drifter. I never stay in one place too long. In my heart, I’m still the adventurous 10-year-old I was when I started off to become a Pokémon Master. I still think I will become one, but I don’t know what I’d do afterward. I’m not sure if it’d be settling down…” He trailed off with, “And I regularly do stupid, dangerous things to help and protect others. Often times, total strangers, at that.”

Goh mumbled, “Why are you telling me this?”

“Leaving Kukui and Burnett after the Manalo Conference hurt me, Goh. But… I had to go. It was time. I’d done what I wanted to do in Alola. You know they’re like family to me. I… I didn’t _want_ to leave, really. But something in my bones told me that I had to go, had to keep moving.” Ash clenched his teeth for a few moments and finally clicked his tongue. “The song! It goes, _cowboys ain’t easy to love and they’re harder to hold._ ” He looked up at Goh, timid for once. “I don’t want to hurt you, and I don’t know if being with me would be easy. Are you sure you want to try doing this?”

Goh had never seen Ash bare his soul like this, but knowing what he did of Ash’s history, Goh could see what Ash was getting at. The boy really was the modern-day equivalent of a cowboy. “Honestly? If you’re willing to try this, I am. I feel like I’ve had more fun traveling with you the last several months than I’ve had for the entire rest of my life put together.”

Ash cracked a large smile at that. He pulled Goh in close and kissed him on the lips. “I promise that as long as you keep on tagging along with me, that I’ll show you the world and all its beauty.” That was one thing that Ash could promise.

Goh had butterflies in his stomach from that; the good kind, he felt giddy. He pulled Ash along. “C’mon, let’s get inside; it’s late. Dinner will be ready.”

Ash quipped, “Race you there!”

With that, they all raced toward the door, but Goh found himself thinking: Ash might be even more mature than he thought. Maybe they were wrong; Goh still had lots about Ash to uncover. And he looked forward to doing it.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

After dinner and talking about the trip with the Professor, it was nearing bedtime. Goh and Ash were getting ready for bed diligently. They were brushing their teeth when Cerise stopped by, saying, “Here he is. Ash, phone call for you.”

Ash held up a finger and finished his brushing quickly. “Who is it, Professor?”

Cerise replied, “Well, it’s someone you know well. Just talk.”

Ash took the phone and said, “Yo, Ash here.”

A warm, bassy voice came over the phone, “Ash, I’ve got some good news for you.”

Ash knew that voice anywhere. “Kukui! How’s the baby and Burnett?” Goh and Cerise shared smiles at Ash’s reaction; Ash was an excitable boy, but talking to his Alolan friends always dialed his enthusiasm up to 11.

In the background, Ash could hear Burnett’s voice, “We’re doing great, sweetie! The baby is asleep, but he’s doing great.”

Kukui continued, “There you have it, kiddo. Anyway, I insisted that Cerise let me tell you the news. You and Goh are coming to Alola for research. For a month. Maybe more.”

Ash screeched, “A MONTH?” He jumped for joy, cheering. “Goh, we’re going to Alola for a MONTH!”

Goh replied, “Uhm, awesome.” He looked at Professor Cerise, who nodded to confirm it.

Kukui and Burnett were laughing on the other end of the line. Kukui replied, “And what’s more, I’ve got other things for you, especially, mister Champion. Battles.” Ash just cheered in response. Pikachu came running around a corner as he heard Ash cheering.

Kukui said, “Professor Cerise will explain the rest, Ash. For now, I know it’s close to bedtime for you guys. I’ll let you get to bed. Text us some time, okay?”

“Okay, thanks for telling me about this. I’m so glad to hear from you! I love you guys, seeya soon!”

“We love you too, buddy! Good night.”

Ash handed the phone back and looked over at Goh with a smile that could melt an ice ball. Cerise said, “Meet me in the kitchen in the lab in about 15 minutes or so, boys. Professor Kukui and I have some final details to iron out.”

Goh finished his brushing. “So, we’re going to Alola, huh?” Ash didn’t reply; he’d grabbed Pikachu and was dancing around joyfully. Goh just smiled with him; Ash’s good moods were always infectious. Goh loved that about him.


	2. Alola!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash and Goh are off to Alola, where they find some familiar faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, let's get this story started! Cute gay stuff in 3... 2... 1...  
> Action!

**A week later,** Ash stretched really wide once he stepped out of the Hau’oli City Airport terminal. He looked around; the airport was a crowded place, as always. He strained his eyes, looking around. “Do you see them, Goh? They’ve got the red car, remember?” Ash and Goh were both loaded down pretty heavily. Enough clothes for a month, plus research equipment, was a lot to handle.

Goh proclaimed, “Found ‘em!” Ash looked where Goh was pointing, and he spotted Kukui and Burnet getting out of their jeep.

Ash dropped all the things in his hands and sprinted. “Kukui, Burnet!”

“Ash!” they called back. The three of them clamped together in a hug. When he left Alola last year, Ash didn’t hug them back before he boarded the plane; it had all felt a bit unreal, and he was sad to leave. Plus, Burnet had been crying, too, and he wasn’t sure what to do. Now? Every time he saw the two of them, Ash rushed in for a hug.

Goh stood by Ash’s things on the ground. His hands were too full to grab anything else, so he just enjoyed the sight of the three of them embracing. Pikachu sprinted over and hopped into the hug. Goh smiled lightly; Ash said he’s a cowboy? Goh has never seen any cowboys in the movies run to hug their “family” like that. After a reasonable wait, Goh called out, “Alola, Professors!”

The three of them all unclamped from the hug and laughed as the professors greeted Goh. They got their things loaded into the car, and the boys hopped in next. Once they were on the way, they got to talking about how things were going. Burnet said, “So, Ash and Goh, how goes the research, huh?”

Goh replied, “We just got our names on a paper in the _Journal of Pokémon Ecology and Evolution_ earlier this week. Ash and I are co-authors!”

Kukui honked the horn, “That’s awesome! What for?”

“Ash and I studied the migration patterns of some Beautifly in the Hoenn region. It turns out that a north wind is what gets the Silcoon to evolve into Beautifly en masse.”

Kukui replied, “No kidding? Fascinating. Did you snap any photos?”

Ash laughed. “Nope. RotomDex would be disappointed in us.” The others joined him laughing. Once the laughter subsided, Ash begged, “Goh, can I tell? I can’t wait anymore, please please please!”

Goh’s eye twitched. “If you must, sure.”

From the passenger seat, Burnet looked back. “I’d noticed Ash was fidgety back there. He gets that way when he’s got something he wants to say. Go on, out with it, what’s the secret?”

Kukui was just exiting the main highway as Ash grabbed Goh’s hand and declared, “Goh and I are dating!”

Burnet put her hand over her mouth and swatted at Kukui as he got ready to turn. Goh smiled warmly as he explained, “We were going to wait to tell you until we got to your house, but… You know how Ash is.” He stuck his tongue out playfully. Ash just made a biting motion at Goh, who recoiled quickly.

Kukui replied, “That’s great, boys! How long have you been dating?”

Goh tapped his chin. “A week now?”

“Yep.”

Goh continued, “Yeah, a week. We’ve been on a grand total of one date. We went to get ice cream in Vermillion City.”

Ash interjected, “ACTUALLY, two if you count that first night.”

Goh swatted at Ash a few times, incredibly embarrassed. “Ash, _ohmygod,_ do not go there! They don’t need to know! ” Pikachu even griped at Ash for that one, wow. Goh knew that Ash had very little shame and would blurt out damn near anything.

Kukui and Burnet eyed each other quickly. Burnet said, “Kukui, you totally owe me a bottle of wine.”

Ash said, “Huh? Why?”

Kukui explained, “Well, we noticed the two of you were very… I don’t know; it’s just that you’ve got very compatible personalities. Burnet bet me you two would be dating in less than four months after that visit. Aaaaand she was right. I said it’d take longer for Ash to realize he could even have those feelings.”

Ash griped, “Hey, that’s mean.” They all laughed, but Ash admitted, “Though, you make a good point. Goh says I’m a bit dense.” 

Goh chimed in, “Surprisingly, Ash was the one that made the first move.”

Kukui’s jaw dropped for a moment as he maintained his focus on the road. “Wait, what? Oh, awesome! Ash, is that true?” Ash made what could only be described as a shit-eating grin as he nodded. Kukui glared at Burnet. “Alright, I owe you a bottle of wine, but now you owe me a backrub. I totally called it!”

Burnet shrugged. “Well, I can’t get everything right.”

Ash spoke up, “What, you’re saying you thought I’d let Goh make the first move? After seeing how much fun you and Kukui had at the wedding?”

Excitedly, Kukui replied, “She did!”

“To be fair,” Goh interjected, “I laid my head back on Ash’s chest at the hot spring. Thanks for your confidence, Doctor Burnet.”

Ash countered, “After I wrapped my arm around your back first! Plus, I totally swam nude in front of you first while we were in the rain forest!”

Kukui chimed in, “Ah yeah, the old nudist gag. That gets ‘em every time, Ash.” That one was drowning in sarcasm.

Ash grumbled, “Hey, look, it was hot in that forest, and I needed a bath!” Ash and Kukui were having fun here. Just their regular goofiness.

Burnet was doubled over laughing. “Oh man, Ash.” She kept on laughing. “Oh gosh, we miss you.” She coughed. “Everything is ten times funnier with you around.”

Kukui nodded along. “She’s not wrong. We really miss you out here. We wish you’d visit more often. We show Lei pictures of you, and he gets so excited.” He might be exaggerating a bit, but meh. Ash loves Lei like a little brother; why not give him some hype?

Ash’s eyes lit up. “He remembers me?”

Burnet laughed. “He’s the kid of two Pokémon professors, uhm, duh. He’s a super smartie, and he LOVES his big brother.”

Goh quipped, “She gotcha there, Ash.”

Kukui made the last turn of the trip as they turned onto his road. The bunch chattered a bit more, but soon they pulled into the house, and they headed up the steps. Ash said, “So, where’s Lei, guys?” Ash was tackled by Lycanroc out of nowhere and greeted the Pokémon fondly.

As Ash did that, Burnet replied, “Oh, he’s here. He might even be up from his nap by now. Our babysitter is a familiar face. Oh, and Rowlet and the others are probably off in the woods. The group has found a bunch of wild Pokémon that they’ve been hanging around with lately.”

Kukui added, “I think it was a Magmar and a few others? I followed them once, but I didn’t keep up too well. Lycanroc has taken to staying here when we’re not home, though. He’s very protective of Lei. He even tried to eat a Pikipek the other day because it got too close.”

Lycanroc snorted, and Ash laughed. “Lycanroc is a great pup! Right bub?” It barked in response, proud to protect the baby.

As they walked into the house, Ash exclaimed, “Mallow!” There the green-haired girl was, sitting on the couch playing with the baby.

“Wha-Ash!” Mallow rubbed her eyes, and Lei screeched. “I thought Ash wasn’t getting here until tomorrow!”

The crew finished walking into the house as Kukui explained, “Well, we lied. We wanted to give him and Goh the option to have a quiet night.”

“Mallow!” Ash ran over to the couch as soon as he sat down his things. He gave her a hug as Lei waved his little arms excitedly. “How are you?”

“I’m doing great!” She waved after they were done hugging. “Hi, Goh!”

“Heya!” He waved back as he trotted over to the couch.

Ash quickly picked up Lei. “Wow, who is this little guy?” Pikachu was right by their side; he quickly jumped in Mallow’s lap. Lei squealed with delight as Ash held him up high and brought him down for a hug. “Alola, Lei.” He looked over at Kukui and Burnet. “He’s grown so much!”

Kukui replied, “The kid grows like a weed, yeah!” Ash turned to keep playing as Kukui and Burnet just enjoyed the show. Even though Lei has seen Ash in person only a handful of times, the 10-month-old absolutely adored Ash. Goh and Mallow chattered for a minute while Ash played with the baby. Things felt… Normal. This was how Kukui and Burnet needed their house to be. Active, fun, a bit chaotic. Things were so quiet without Ash around.

Eventually, Burnet shouted, “Alright, boys. Here are your options for dinner. Kahuna Hala offered to have you over for dinner anytime you want. We just gotta call him in advance if we do. We’ve got stuff to make Kukui’s Alola Stew. There’s also the steakhouse in town or Anita’s Kitchen, Mallow’s family restaurant!”

Mallow chimed in, “Look, just a word of advice. If we go to my restaurant, my Dad will put me to work.”

Goh thought for a minute. “Well, uh... What’s Professor Kukui’s Alola Stew?”

Ash quipped, “A big mess.”

Kukui called, “Hey! It’s not bad.”

Burnet laughed, “Munchlax loves it, honestly. I like it, too. But it is a hassle to make it this late in the day, is what Ash means.” Ash nodded.

Kukui sighed. “They’re right.”

Goh looked around. “Any objections to the steakhouse? We could invite Sophocles, Lana, and Kiawe, too.”

Ash said, “I’m down with that!”

Kukui was excited. “Alright, sweet! Back to Hau’oli City then!” He high-fived Burnet. “I love it when they visit!”

Burnet explained, “Kukui loves a good steak.” She snapped her fingers. “Alright, you boys get your things put upstairs, and we’ll call up the gang.”

Ash said, “Hey, I got some of my prize money out of savings and into my normal account before I left Kanto. I am totally handling the check if you guys handle the tip.” Ash had won a good deal of money over the years in his various Pokémon Leagues (especially at the Lumiose Conference, even though he was the runner-up). He could definitely afford to blow some money here and there.

Kukui shouted, “DEAL! Diapers for squirt over there aren’t cheap.” The whole room fell into laughter. It was going to be a fun night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ash is best big brother for Lei. Period. End of story. Expect to see more of them being cute in future chapters. :>
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter! As always, comments are appreciated, as are kudos and stuff! Don't forget to hit subscribe so that AO3 will email you when new chapters are out!
> 
> Best,  
> ~JJ


	3. Doctor Cerise, I Presume?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Professor Cerise and family are in Alola, too! Ash and Goh are on the job to show them around the island.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter. I managed to write two this week, so this second one is short and sweet, enjoy! Expect some more "plot" in the next one!

The trip to the steakhouse had been a great time as all the teens caught up; nothing too interesting happened, though (thankfully). The boys had spent the next morning messing around the house; Ash had mostly played with the baby and the Pokémon while Burnet and Goh talked about Burnet’s research. Kukui had busied himself strapping a camera to Lycanroc to see if he could record it the next time the Pokémon went off into the wild to battle. It was the perfect way to further his research into Pokémon moves.

Late that afternoon, Ash and Goh were welcoming some newcomers to the beach. With Goh at his side, Ash led the way down one of the famous beaches on Melemele Island as Professor Cerise, his wife Talia, Chloe, and Parker followed him. Goh was right alongside Ash as they walked. Ash pointed out an ice cream stand. “That’s a great spot for ice cream, but if you want local sweets, there’s a malasada shop near the mall that’s awesome.”

Talia pondered aloud, “Ice cream sounds good, but the malasadas are… exotic!”

With a grin, Goh spun around to face the woman. Walking backward, he said, “You _definitely_ want to try the malasadas, Missus Talia.”

Talia, Professor Cerise’s wife, said, “I think you're right, Goh! Think you could show us that spot when we leave the beach, Ash?” Goh spun around to face forward, pleased that his suggestion carried some weight.

“Sure!”

Young Parker was running in circles around them; he’d been cooped up on a plane for a long time, and he loved the beach. Yamper and Pikachu were having a blast darting behind Parker as Ash called, “Parker, watch out for Pyukumuku! They’re mean little things.”

Professor Cerise was enjoying the sights and sounds of the beach. He pointed and said, “There’s a perfect spot.” The bunch all plopped their stuff down in an empty spot. They spent a few minutes setting up an umbrella. Cerise had to double-check that Parker had sunscreen before they turned him and Ash loose in the ocean as Pikachu dashed right along with him. Cerise said, “Honestly, Ash has more energy than a Tyrogue and twice as much spirit. I don’t know how he keeps up with Parker.”

Goh sat down on his own towel, and Raboot joined him, along with Sobble. “Ash is an enigma, professor.”

Chloe was seated close by, reading a book. She snorted. “That’s the understatement of the year, Goh.” Yamper had stretched out lazily next to her, dozing in the hot Alolan sun.

Talia had out a sketchbook. She was a professional artist, but despite that, she still found her idle doodles to be incredibly relaxing. She was currently sketching the landscape of the forest and cliffs further down the beach as she observed, “I can’t believe Parker still wanted to come to the beach after that flight.” She yawned. “I’m bushed.”

Cerise stretched and laid back on his towel. “It’s not all bad. At least he’s not making us chase him. Besides, he’s turning 9 this week; the boy is bound to have a lot of energy at that age. He wanted us to vacation here this year, so at least he’s enthusiastic about it.”

Goh laughed. “Say, Ash and I were talking the other day. Did you have us come out here so you’d have tour guides for vacation?”

Cerise chuckled. “Partly. I asked Kukui about Alolan vacation destinations, and he suggested some research you and Ash could do here. We knew each other in our post-docs. Did he fill you in on that last night? I’m sorry that I was vague about it, but this is his and Burnet’s region, not mine.”

With an embarrassed head scratch, Goh admitted, “Well, no. We all went out to a steakhouse with a lot of Ash’s friends from the Pokémon School, and then we spent the morning being lazy. Professors Kukui and Burnet are both really fond of Ash. Like, I’m pretty sure they’re basically near the same level as his Mom if that makes sense?”

Cerise nodded. “I got that feeling, too. They’re very fond of him. Ash is a kind, good-hearted boy; I can see why they would want to adopt him, so to speak.” He stretched out and closed his eyes behind his sunglasses. “So, you want to hear about the research? Kukui can tell you more later.”

“Sure!”

Without moving, Cerise explained, “Well, the Alolan region is home to an astonishing array of marine life. Your job for the first part of your stay is to work with one of Ash’s friends to study the marine Pokémon. I believe her name was Lana? Kukui said she has recently become a sort of apprentice to him. Kukui will have more details for this project for you, and at some point, he’s planned a second project.”

“I get to work with Lana? Oh, sweet, she’s so cool!” Goh aspired to be as fluently sarcastic as Lana. “How about Ash?

“Kukui has some special things for Ash to do. Some things that need to be handled by the Alola champion, apparently. I don’t know what that entails, but it’s nothing for me to worry about. Ash will be helping you and Lana out as needed, though.”

“Okay, thanks for the info. I’m sure it’ll involve battling. Everything does with Ash.” Goh looked out to the ocean as Ash and Parker goofed around in the surf. With a grin, he said, “I’m gonna join them! Seeya, guys.”

Cerise and Talia waved lightly as Goh dashed off. Without looking up from her book, Chloe said, “Ash’s goofiness is infectious.”

Talia stopped doodling. With a slightly teasing tone, she countered, “Really? I don’t see you rushing off to play with them.”

With a grunt, Chloe replied, “I’m immune to goofiness, Mom.” She turned the page of her book.

Cerise taunted, “You should go have fun, Chloe. You’re too young to be so antisocial.”

Chloe cleared her throat and pointed toward a commotion near the water as a group of strangers had approached Goh, Ash, and Parker in the sand. Someone had their smartphone out, and Ash was posing for pictures with them. Chloe said, “I’m not antisocial, Dad. Ash is just literally the last person I want to be around on a beach full of tourists to the region where he’s the world-famous champion.”

With a sigh, Cerise admitted, “Alright, fine, you got me on that one. Maybe we should go to a more secluded beach next time.” Talia was laughing, and Chloe had a satisfied smirk growing on her face. Like any teenager, she loved it when she outwitted a parent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter should be longer. Expect to see more of Ash and Parker vibing together as the story goes along. They've both got more energy than any sane person should be allowed to have and honestly I enjoy writing them goofy.
> 
> How're ya liking the story so far? The main idea is to keep it chill and fluffy with small bursts of the plot here and there. This is most likely going to be a character piece and, of course, expect some romance with Ash and Goh. Duhhh.  
> If you've got any ideas for things you want to see happen while they're here in Alola, drop me a comment below or send me an ask or something over on my Tumblr. I'm @JJtherobot.
> 
> Cheers and see you again on Monday or Tuesday!  
> JJ


	4. Pizza, the Dinner of Champions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another exciting evening in Alola as the plot for the month continues taking shape.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A slightly short chapter... Posted at 1:30AM. >.> woops.
> 
> ALSO, a heads-up. Pikachu, Raboot, and Sobble are awesome. If there's ever a scene where any of those should be around but you don't see me mention them... Well, I'm focusing more on people, so sometimes I forget to mention the Pokemon are also tagging along. Like, in this chapter. Assume Pikachu is around somewhere and occupied with a bottle of ketchup or something, haha.

Later that evening, Burnet was busily working in the kitchen, putting toppings on a large circle of dough with tomato sauce and cheese.“So, Cerise, Talia, how long were you all going to stay in Alola? Kukui mentioned it, but I forgot.” Burnet was making a unique pizza recipe she’d learned in Unova during her mid-twenties. She had one already entirely constructed and was finishing the second one.

Cerise and Talia were seated at the bar watching Burnet finish this meal. Talia replied, “Today is Monday… Uhmmm… We’re flying out on Friday, right dear?”

Cerise nodded. “Yep. We take one or two of these short vacations a year. This year, Parker wanted to see Alola, so here we are!” He turned around and smiled at the living room, where Goh, Parker, Lei, and the Pokémon playing. It was a mess.

Burnet chuckled. “I wonder who put that idea into his head?” She inspected the first pizza once more before plopping it in the oven.

“Oh, it was definitely Ash. He and Goh are like part of the family, and Parker adores them both,” Talia explained.

“Ash did that here, too. Became part of the family. Did you know he and his friends organized Kukui and I’s wedding? Kukui and I were going to just go to the courthouse, but they organized a whole party and everything.” Burnet pointed to a photo from the wedding on the wall. “They even got Kukui to wear a shirt.”

It was Cerise’s turn to laugh. “Honestly, that’s more impressive than anything else Ash has done. We had to talk him into wearing a shirt to every presentation during post-doc.”

Talia pondered aloud, “Speaking of which, where did Kukui take Ash, anyways?”

Burnet watched as Parker threw Rowlet across the room to Goh. Rowlett loved it, gliding silently back and forth between the boys as Lei, Yamper, and Lycanroc watched closely. She blinked and said, “Uh, to see the island Kahuna, Hala. Some variety of important business.”

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

Deeper into the rainforests of Alola, at Hala’s home, Ash was drinking tea with Hala and Kukui as Hala spoke. “…As the eldest Kahuna, I have been asked by the Alolan government to discuss this with you, Ash. Though you are an outsider, you have done more service for our country in your time here than some Alolans would have the chance to do in a lifetime. With you being our official Champion and reaching the age of 16 next week, we would like to offer you a sort of job.”

Ash sat down his teacup, looking around the room at Hala’s various native Alolan artworks and artifacts. After a few seconds, he took another swig of the tea. “Okay… What would I do?”

Kukui said, “Well, first off, just know that it isn’t something that’ll keep you here all the time.”

Hala nodded. “Indeed. Their first offering is official citizenship of Alola.” Hala sipped his tea. “We want you to be a figurehead for the Alolan Pokémon League. Like Lance is for Kanto or Cynthia in Sinnoh. This might entail protecting our region’s interests here at home. Occasionally, we might ask you to go abroad for diplomatic reasons. Mainly to participate in exhibition matches, no real ambassador things, mind you. Essentially, when people think of Alola, we want you to be one of the first images that come to mind.” Hala stood up and walked to a window.

“Right. I guess I could do that. Is there anything else?”

Hala sighed and continued, “Well, Kukui and a lawyer could better explain the pay and benefits to you, but the government would finance your expenses for traveling to these events and so forth.” He looked back at Ash. “Essentially, Ash, what you did along with your friends as the Ultra Guardians is what we want. A competent protector of Alola. During emergencies, we would recall you here, of course. Otherwise, we realize you’re young and looking to continue your training around the world.” Hala looked at Kukui. “Kukui is the one that fought so hard to insist that you need not be here all the time.”

Ash looked at Kukui, and the man smiled back. Kukui explained, “I wasn’t going to let them keep you away from that Pokémon Master dream of yours.”

Ash took a bite of the cookie Hala had offered him, mulling over the things being said. “So, is there a catch to this?”

Hala laughed. “You are a clever one. There are a few catches to it, yes. Kukui, explain.”

Kukui took off his hat. “See, Ash, we want the Alolan Pokémon League to be similar to other leagues, minus the gyms. If trainers want that, they can go elsewhere. We want our Pokémon League to be a more… Spiritual journey, like your experience doing the Island Challenge. But, we are forming an Elite Four. The idea is to hold a yearly tournament, similar to the Manalo Conference last year. We will give the top 4 trainers the chance to challenge the Elite Four. Anyone that beats them gets to challenge the Alola Champion for the title.”

Ash rubbed his temples as Hala added, “And we need to know if you will be willing to be the Champion for this new system. If not, that’s fine; we will rerun the conference like we did last year to find a new Champion.”

Ash stood up and paced around for a minute. “So, I won’t get to battle in the tournament?”

Kukui wagged a finger. “Not with the normal trainers, no. We planned on having you perform in short exhibition matches on each day of the conference, though! With the Elite Four, if you want. Pretty much anybody you want aside from the tournament trainers; me, Hala, a friend of yours from another country… The possibilities are endless. If one of the top 4 trainers does make it through the Elite Four, then you get to battle them, though we suspect they’ll have difficulty with that.”

Ash scratched his head, unsure of what to say. Hala could sense the teen’s unease. “I can see you’ve got a lot to consider. This would be a bit of a ‘leash’ to Alola for you, Ash. We would expect you to be here within a few days anytime we call on you. If you can hold onto the Champion title, that is. I tell you what, why don’t we have dinner here on Saturday? That will give you the whole week to decide what to do.”

Kukui stood up. “That’s a good idea, Hala. C’mon, Ash.” He offered the boy a hand up.

Ash took it and said, “Yeah, you’re right. I’ll want to call my Mom and Professor Oak.”

Hala smiled. “I’ll make it a feast.”

They shook hands and exchanged goodbyes. As they walked out to the car, Kukui added, “Hala forgot to mention that he and the other Kahunas will be the Elite Four.”

Ash blinked as they got into the car. “Even Nanu?”

Kukui laughed heartily. “Maybe. It will take some more convincing, but we think Nanu will do it.” He whispered, “Though, you never know. We brought it up to him, and he said we should have Acerola do it. Don’t tell anyone that, though.”

Ash grinned. “That’d be interesting. Acerola and Nanu are both great trainers.” His belly rumbled, and Ash sighed. “What were we having for dinner?”

“Burnet’s Unovan Pizza. Y’know, with the sausage and pepperoni and onions you like.”

“What?! Step on the gas. We can’t miss that!”

Kukui put the car in gear and took them down the winding road away from Hala’s house. “Way ahead of you there, kiddo.”

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

Ash and Kukui ducked back inside the house just after sunset. Burnet shouted, “Hey, there they are! Kukui, I was just telling Parker about the summer camp you’re hosting!”

Kukui blinked as they both made their way to the fresh pizza. “Oh? Is he turning 9 this year?”

Parker jumped up from where he was eating on a slice of pizza. “Yeah! In two days!”

Kukui acted astonished. “Stop! No way. Cerise tell me he’s kidding. I am NOT that old.”

Professor Cerise shrugged. “Nope, you’re getting old, Kukui.”

With cackling from the adults, Kukui replied, “Fair enough. Well, Parker, you’re in luck, my little friend. I am hosting a summer camp for students that are in the year before they can become Pokémon trainers. It lasts 10 days, starting next week. You interested?”

Parker shouted, “Yeah!” Lei screeched along with him in the background as Parker looked at Cerise. “Dad, please?”

Professor Cerise looked at his wife and back to the boy. “We can talk about that tomorrow.”

Ash was settling in next to Goh on the couch. Goh would always remember thinking that this month was shaping up to be the most fun he’d ever had. Parker was gonna be here, he and Ash were boyfriends, and they both loved it here in Alola. Plus, Goh got to work with Lana, who is honestly a role model for him (she’s sassy as it gets, he loved that about her). This month in Alola was gonna be something to remember, for sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: cute moments with Ash, Goh, and Lei. Plus, Lana!
> 
> This was a slightly short chapter, yeah. In the next few chapters, I'll be transitioning out of this "setup" phase of the fic and starting to really drive with the plot... I think! Stay tuned for more, as always.


	5. Family Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More good times in Alola, but finally some semblance of the developing plot is beginning to show through. ;)

Late the next morning, Ash led Professor Cerise and his family along through the various stalls, stores, and marketplaces in Heahea City on Akala Island. This part of the trip was something Chloe and Talia had wanted to do – souvenirs were fun to collect, and supporting local Alolan crafts was an added benefit. Eventually, with their shopping done, Ash showed them a nice, small restaurant where they all ducked inside to enjoy the cool air. As they sat down, Ash stayed standing, obviously pondering something far away. Cerise said, “Ash, aren’t you hungry? You’re welcome to join us.” Parker had even saved a seat for Ash and Pikachu.

Ash blinked. “Not really. I had a big breakfast. I actually saw something neat in the stalls, though.” He looked back out the door. “Tell you guys what, I’m gonna go check that out while you eat. I’ll grab something quick from a food stand if I get the urge.”

Parker said, “Can I go?”

Talia held the little one in place. “No, sweetie. You need to eat. Let Ash do his thing; he’s already being super nice by hanging out with us so much.”

“Your mom is mostly right, Parker. I really don’t mind showing you guys around Alola, though, so no worries there. You should definitely eat, though, Parker. Didn’t you tell us you were hungry and wanted to sit down earlier?” Ash was mentally amused; here he was, sounding like an adult. Was he really this grown-up, now?

Parker sighed and said, “Okay, fine. Are you gonna come with us to the beach later?”

“Yeah! Hey, did your parents tell you how we’re getting back to Melemele Island? I’ll give you a hint: we aren’t taking the ferry again.” Ash winked and went toward the door with Pikachu as Parker’s eyes lit up. “Seeya, guys. Be sure to check out the dessert menu. This place is famous for its spicy malasada!”

With a grin the size of a plate, Parker said, “How are we getting back to the hotel, Dad?”

Cerise laughed. “Ash didn’t tell us exactly, but it sounded like we’re flying back somehow.”

Chloe grumbled, “What? Nobody told me we were flying. I would’ve put my hair up or something!” She thought for a second and admitted, “That does sound fun, though. I bet Alola is pretty from the air.”

Talia said, “I mean, he is the Alolan Champion… Maybe Ash knows someone with a helicopter or a plane?”

Parker was so excited that he was practically vibrating in his seat. That conversation topic kept them busy for the rest of the meal. Eventually, Chloe’s phone rang. “Who in the world…” The caller ID read as Ash. She answered it. “Hi?”

“Chloe! Hey, can you come outside for a bit? I need some help with something, and you’re perfect for it. Please?”

Ash _never_ asked anyone for help like this. Chloe was intrigued. “Uh, sure. What do you need?”

“Just meet me out front. I’ll explain then.”

“Okay.” She hung up the phone and looked over at Talia and Cerise. “Hey, Ash wanted me to go help him with something. Probably some shopping or something.”

Cerise was eyeballing a dessert menu with Parker. Talia said, “Alright, Ash knows his way around. You two be careful. We’ll call you when we’re done with dessert.”

Parker said, “Bye, Chloe!”

Cerise echoed his wife, adding, “Be careful, sweetie!” They trusted Ash to keep Chloe out of trouble.

“Alright.” Yamper followed Chloe as she went outside. There, she found Ash waiting. “Alright, what’s the big deal? I missed dessert.”

Ash scoffed. “You never eat dessert with lunch. You were just sitting there bored anyways.”

Damn, Ash actually did pay attention to things; he even topped it off with a big smartass grin. Impressed, Chloe repeated, “Fine, fine. What’s this about?”

Ash motioned for her to follow him. “So, uhm… Y’know how Mother’s Day was earlier this month? Well, I wanted to get something for Burnet. She’s not my actual mom, but she and Kukui treat me like I’m their own kid, and I love them a lot.” He was blushing. “And... Uhm… I wanted to get Burnet something. Wait, crap, I already said that… So, uh, yeah, I saw a stand earlier with stuff that she might like. Will you help me pick something?”

Chloe suddenly found Ash very cute; who knew this weirdo had a soft, sweet side to him? With a smile, she replied, “Sure!” Who knows, maybe she’d find something for herself and Burnet both. Pikachu and Yamper tagged along, playing happily around them.

Ash grinned like a little kid. “Thanks so much, Chloe. I tried calling Goh to ask him, but he must still be meeting with Lana and Kukui about research. He’s got a habit of putting his phone on silent when he’s in research meetings.”

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

Ash was right. Back on Melemele Island, Goh was seated at the table in Kukui’s basement laboratory. Lana was standing in front of a large map of the Alolan Islands. “Alright,” Lana explained as she used a laser pointer, “This is our second area of interest, here south of Melemele. There’s a large raft of Corsola that can be found here. They’re home to lots of plants, other wildlife, and Pokémon. The raft tends to drift, so we’ll need to put GPS tags on some of the Corsola to study the whole raft’s movement patterns.” Goh was dutifully taking notes as he listened.

Kukui said, “Lana’s current interest is to study if the Corsola raft moves purely based on fluctuations in the ocean currents in the area. Her hypothesis is that the Corsola actually swim where they please, to some degree. We’ve spent the past month or two setting up ways to monitor the ocean currents; now, all that’s left is to do the same with the raft of Corsola.” Kukui looked at his watch. “Tell ya what, guys, I’m going to go check on Lei and make sure he’s still napping. Let’s take a quick break.” He stood up and walked upstairs as Lana and Goh acknowledged him.

Goh stood up and stretched. “Lana, I didn’t know Professor Kukui was interested in this kind of stuff. Isn’t he a Pokémon move researcher?”

Lana sat down in one of the chairs and nodded as she yawned. “Yeah, but I convinced him to let me study this stuff because… I dunno. He was surprised I knew as much as I did. He said I’d make a great marine biologist someday. Maybe even a professor.” She smiled at that. “So, he made me his research assistant. He lets me come up with ideas, and if I can back them up with enough stuff from the literature and solid ideas of my own, we work to see if we can study them. He tells me Professor Cerise knows a lot about migration and other biological stuff.”

Goh nodded. “Yeah, migration biology, ecology, ethology, and biogeology is the sorta stuff that professor Cerise is interested in. I guess I could introduce you to him?”

Lana’s eyes sparkled as she replied, “You mean it?” Goh nodded, and she jumped out of her chair. “Awesome!”

They chattered for a few more minutes before Kukui walked partway downstairs. “Hey guys, Lei is having some trouble sleeping up here. He’s teething and stuff. I’m gonna lay with him a while, okay? You can take a break until I’m done or keep going without me, whichever is fine. Lana, you were doing great explaining the research, by the way!”

Lana called back, “Thanks!” Once he was gone, Lana looked over at Goh with an almost sinister look. “Soooo, let’s change the topic for a bit. You and Ash are a couple now, huh?”

The two of them had been looking at the large aquarium. Goh just smiled coyly. If it were any of Ash’s other Alolan friends, Goh wouldn’t be as eager to talk, but Lana was someone he really vibed with. “Yeeeah,” Goh said. “It was kinda a sudden thing.”

Lana laughed. “It must’ve been. Like, how sudden?” Goh just smiled and gave a rough explanation of their trip to Hoenn, leaving out some of the… more depraved details. After he was done, Lana said, ”So what, he just asked you to be his boyfriend? You two didn’t do anything else?”

With some stuttering, Goh mumbled, “Well, uh… No.” He stared off, unable to keep from revealing it was a lie. Shit! That just made it more obvious.

Lana was a pro at reading people; Goh was an easy read. She said, “Oh my gosh, you two did do something else!” Goh just stuck his tongue out. Lana pumped her fist excitedly. “I TOLD MALLOW! I knew under all that dense exterior that Ash was a little playboy!”

Goh laughed. “He might’ve started it, but I totally finished it. Don’t tell anyone, though!”

Lana clasped Goh on the shoulder. “Your secret is safe with me. You two have GOTTA go on a double date with Mallow and me, though. You two are so cute together!”

“Wait.” Goh blinked, confused. “Are you and Mallow a couple?”

“What? No, no, sorry. We’re just attached at the hip. Y’know, besties.” Lana snapped her fingers. “Oh man, that reminds me of the time Ash told everyone at the school he was pansexual.”

Goh laughed. “He told me about that.”

Lana was giggling. “Kiawe thought…” She was overcome with laughter. “He thought it was a joke! He didn't know it was a real thing!” She put on her best impersonation of Kiawe, “Gee, Ash, does that mean I should keep you out of my kitchen?” The two of them laughed for way longer than necessary. This was why Goh loved Lana; she had like zero filter.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

That evening, Ash and Burnet arrived home around the same time. Much to Parker’s delight, Ash had arranged for several Charizard from the local ride Pokémon agency to fly the Cerise family home. Still, Ash was absolutely beat from it all. Kukui had dinner finished, and the house was calm. Once they ate dinner, the bunch of them found themselves hanging around in the living room watching Detective Laki. When a commercial came on, Ash said, “Hey so, uh… Burnet?”

Burnet looked over. “Yeah?”

Ash looked at Lei, who was sitting next to them, twirling his hair and feeling sleepy. He took a little gift-wrapped box. “Take this to momma, Lei!” Lei took the colorful package and examined it. “Take it to momma, kiddo.”

Kukui, who was sitting right next to Burnet, said, “Come here, Lei!” The infant was willing to do it for his dad. He crawled over with the box as Ash smiled at everyone and put his arm around Goh. Pikachu walked alongside Lei, helping the procession.

“That’s a little something from Lei and me,” he explained shyly. “For Mother’s Day. I’m sorry it’s late, but I wasn’t here on Mother’s Day.”

“Oh, Ash, you shouldn’t have done anything for me.” Burnet took the box and opened it as she continued, “Your call on Mother’s Day was so thoughtful and – oh my.” Inside the box was a small bracelet made of small chain loops with some pretty gemstones attached to the shiny metal chain. Overall, it was a lowkey piece of jewelry, but still something appropriate for most situations.

Ash said, “Happy Mother’s Day. It’s an ankle bracelet. I know you do a lot of diving and stuff for work and don’t like to wear lots of jewelry anyways… I figured you could wear it on your ankle to keep your hands free! The guy at the stall said it could also go on your arm.” He scooted over and held Lei. He pointed at the stones hanging along the bracelet. “See, these are your, Kukui’s, and Lei’s birthstones. Chloe had to help me pick the right ones. I’m no good with that stuff. The other one is a small Corsola horn; it’s supposed to be a good luck charm.”

She put it around her wrist and said, “Oh Ash, this is so sweet. I love it! Were you in on this too, Kukui?”

Kukui shook his head. “Nope. Ash called me earlier today and made me rehearse this little maneuver with Lei. It almost worked, but you know herding the little one is like trying to herd Meowths.”

Goh chimed in, “I helped with the rehearsing!”

Ash mumbled, “Y’know, what kind of big brother wouldn’t get something from little brother too, if he could?”

Burnet was smiling big. “I’ll never take it off.” She waved at Goh. “Goh, could you snap a picture of us four?”

“Sure!” They quickly snapped a picture, and Burnet gave Ash and Lei big hugs.

Ash left Lei with Burnet when he moved back to his side of the couch with Goh. As he moved, Kukui said, “Ash, dude. Why didn’t you put your birthstone on there, too?”

Burnet eyed him. “Hey, yeah! You’re part of the family, kiddo. Your mom is kind enough to let me and Kukui share you, I believe.”

Burnet was right; Delia Ketchum was always thrilled to hear about Kukui and Burnet caring for her son. Ash spent little time with Delia these days, so it warmed her heart to know that he had these outstanding adults in his life. Ash was already blushing a little bit. “I-I wasn’t sure if that’d be okay or not.”

Kukui scoffed and wagged a finger. “Nonsense! I think I know who made this. Was it the silversmith?” Ash nodded. “Yeah, I’ve met him. I’m calling him tomorrow and asking if he’ll add your birthstone, too.”

Ash just smiled. “You guys are too much. Thank you.” Pause. “I love you three, y’know. Thanks for letting me be a part of your family.” To be honest, Ash felt more at home in Alola than anywhere. Goh put an arm around Ash, proud of him.

Burnet said, “We love you too, kiddo.”

Kukui added, “Yeah. We wouldn’t have it any other way, you know that.”

“Thanks.”

The bunch continued chattering for a while, but once they finished that episode of Detective Laki, it was bedtime. Lei was getting fussy. Everyone said their goodnights, and Ash got another hug from Burnet. As the adults and the little one went toward their bedroom, Kukui said, “Turn the TV off when you go to bed, boys.”

After a few minutes of watching whatever was coming on next, the boys decided it was bedtime. The crew made their way up into the loft, and Ash said, “Was that too cheesy back there?”

As Goh changed into his shorts, he replied, “What? No, it was adorable. Maybe a bit sappy, but everyone’s family has moments like that sometimes.”

Ash just laid down, ready for bed. He scratched Lycanroc’s ears as the pup laid next to the bed. Incineroar and Rowlet were both asleep already. Melmetal was outside the house doing whatever it got into at this time of night (apparently, it enjoyed sleeping on the porch). Pikachu and Riolu were finding a nice spot to sleep next to Lycanroc.

Goh saw that Raboot and Sobble had already fallen asleep next to Incineroar (Raboot looked up to the elder fire-type). He went over and picked up Sobble gently. He whispered goodnight and laid him back down with Raboot. Finally, Goh laid down next to Ash, and they snuggled. They had decided this was their favorite way to sleep. That came after their discovery over the last week that sleeping in the same bed was more fun than just sleeping in the same room. Skin-to-skin contact at night was addicting (the serotonin and oxytocin released by them cuddling was the addicting thing, as Goh had told Ash).

“Ready?” Ash questioned as he plugged in his phone.

Goh replied, “Yep.” Ash clicked off the lamp next to the bed as Goh checked his own phone one last time and laughed. “Chloe texted me. She said Parker convinced Professor Cerise and Mrs. Talia to let him do the camp Kukui was talking about.”

Ash just smiled. “Good. Parker’s a great kid. He’s gonna be a good trainer, and he’ll have a blast here in Alola. I think Lana’s little sisters will be in the class, too.”

“Oh, that’ll be wild.” They both chuckled, and it went quiet for a minute or two. Goh clicked the phone off and put it on the table. “Ash? Last week, you told me you’re a cowboy.”

“Yeah. What about it?”

It was pitch black dark in the room as Goh said, “For someone that always needs to move around or whatever, you sure seem comfortable here in Alola. I’ve seen you at home in Pallet Town. You’re just as comfortable here as you are there. Heck, you might be more comfortable here.”

Ash sighed, and the darkness concealed a wistful smile. “Yeah. A bit of a mystery, isn’t it?”

With enough sass to sound like Lana, Goh replied, “Nah, I just think you’re full of shit and should stop pretending you don’t belong here. You’re never happier than when we visit Alola.”

Ash hugged Goh close and said, “Maybe you’re right.” He felt for his boyfriend’s face and quickly leaned to give him a kiss. “I think that I love you, Goh.” Pause. “Yeah. I do. I love you.”

Goh’s heartbeat went up. They hadn’t said that to each other yet. Nervously stuttering, he replied, “I l-l-love you, too.” He was screaming internally – this was a giant milestone for the relationship! They didn’t say it after some big date or while on a romantic walk under the moon or something like that. Nope, they’re just snuggling in the flimsy bed they were sharing here in Alola, thousands of kilometers from home.

Ash whispered, “You’re probably my favorite person in the whole world.” Ash played with Goh’s hair idly.

Shivers went down Goh’s back as he replied, “And you’re mine, too.” This simple situation honestly made the moment feel more special. There weren’t any big fanfares or anything. The two of them just loved each other and enjoyed being together. The two of them soon fell asleep, happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, guys. Let me know what you think. I wrote some cheesy lovey stuff in this one. Consider it a late Valentine's Day thing. hah! Seeya soon with Chapter 6.
> 
> Question: What do you think? Of all the Alola crew, I always got not-quite-straight vibes from Lana. Am I the only one? lol. 
> 
> Also, my official stance is that Ash is pansexual. Keep him out of your kitchens. ( /s)


	6. Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some more fun before the fic's plotline really develops hard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, you're still reading this mess, thanks! Enjoy chapter 6!

**Late the next afternoon,** it was hot and humid on Akala Island. Here at the Pokémon Paradise Resort, Kiawe and Ash were having what might be their most fierce battle yet, much to the beachgoers’ excitement. Ash touched his Z-ring cautiously as sweat ran down his face. “Alright, Kiawe, if that’s how you want to play! Pikachu! Ready?” Pikachu turned and looked at him eagerly.

Kiawe and Turtonator stood opposite them as they wound up their own Z-move. “Give us everything, Ash, c’mon!”

The Cerise family and Goh were on the sidelines; Parker was practically screaming as the elder boys charged Z-moves. “Here we go! Full… Power… NOW!” They completed the dance, and Ash shouted, “Gigavolt Havoc!”

“Inferno Overdrive!”

The two moves met in a furious spectacle. The air crackled with electricity; those nearby the battle would later swear it’s like everything was charged with static electricity. One man’s hair stood on end. There was an impressive explosion as Gigavolt Havoc overwhelmed Turtonator’s Inferno Overdrive. When the smoke cleared, the victor was clear; Turtonator was down for the count.

Everyone on the beach was cheering at this point. Ash and Pikachu took a breather, as did Kiawe. Eventually, Ash walked over to where Turtonator and Kiawe were seated. “Good battle. Might have been our best yet!”

Kiawe laughed. “You say that every time we battle.” He stood up and shook Ash’s hand. “Then, I guess the champ would give me a run for my money.”

Parker came running over with Goh close behind. “Ash! That was so cool!”

“Thanks, Parker. Happy birthday, glad you enjoyed it.” Ash and Pikachu gave the kiddo a thumbs-up and a smile.

Kiawe said, “Glad I could help out with Ash’s present, too, Parker. That was a great battle. The fire in our hearts really showed out.”

Goh was walking up to them, now. “I’ve seen those two battle a couple times, Parker… And I’ve seen Ash battle a lot in general… But I have only seen him finish a battle dripping in sweat a few times. He really put his heart in it for you.”

Parker just beamed. “Thanks, guys. This is my best birthday yet!” And, y’know, what kid wouldn’t say that? The Cerise family had spent the day having fun at the Pokémon Paradise Resort and a nearby waterpark. Around an hour ago, Ash, Goh, and Kiawe showed up to join their little party on the beach.

The boys accompanied Parker back over to Cerise and the others. They chattered and even had a slice of cake before they politely excused themselves. The older boys had the feeling this was meant to be a family function of just the parents and kids, though, and it was getting dark soon. Ash took a couple selfies with bystanders that had recognized him before they piled onto their ride Pokémon. Ash and Goh were on Garchomp, with Kiawe on Charizard.

Ash and Goh followed Kiawe back to his family’s farm. They landed, and Ash called, “Thanks again, Kiawe. I knew you’d be a great person to battle for Parker’s birthday show.”

Kiawe dismounted Charizard and said, “Yeah, it was a good time. Hey, you two should come over here someday. Spend the day and help on the farm. I’ll hook you up with some ice cream!”

Ash’s eyes sparkled. “Deal! If we’re not busy on Sunday or Monday, that sound okay?”

Goh said, “Yeah! Ash told me that you guys have a bunch of Mudbray! I’ve always wanted to see a herd of them.” Scientific curiosity had Goh excited 24 hours a day.

Kiawe laughed; those two were so different, but at the same time, both of them were passionate people. “Sure thing, guys. Just give me a call. Maybe we can get Sophocles, Lana, and Mallow over, too. Have our own party.”

Goh grinned deviously as Ash shouted, “That’s a great idea!” They chattered a moment more before Ash and Goh took off on Garchomp.

As they flew over the ocean, the moon was well into the sky, and the sun was almost completely gone. “Ash?”

“Yeah?”

“Fly me over Hau’oli city before we land. I bet it’s pretty at night.”

Ash looked back at him with a smile. “It is, yeah. But that’s gotta be the gayest thing you’ve asked me to do yet. And we did some super gay stuff in Hoenn.”

“True, but I am gay, so… I can ask for gay shit.” Goh grinned back. “What do you think about a party at Kiawe’s place?”

“I think it’s a good idea. Lana and Mallow always make any party a blast. Say, speaking of Lana, how’d research go today?”

“Oh, no actual research today, but Lana taught me some skin-diving stuff.” Goh laughed. “At first, I thought I looked so stupid in those swim fins. But dude! They were so helpful in the water that I changed my mind. They’re actually super cool.”

Ash nodded. “Yeah. Lana is a certified scuba diver, isn’t she?”

“Yeah, she’ll be doing most of our diving and stuff. She wants me to be on top in the boat, writing stuff down and plotting data.”

Ash turned around to watch where they were flying as he snickered. “ _On top._ ”

“Oh, shut up. What are you, 12?”

“Have you met me? I may turn 16 next week, but we both know I’m 12 on the inside.” They both laughed.

Goh hugged Ash closely from his position sitting behind him. “You’re so stupid, man. I love you.”

“Damn right, baby.”

Pikachu even chimed in from his position in front of Ash, “Pika!”

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

It was dark outside by the time they walked back into Kukui and Burnet’s house. Ash was mobbed by Melmetal and Lycanroc as Goh let out Raboot and Sobble. “Go play, you two. We’ll have dinner soon!” The two of them quickly scurried over to Incineroar. Raboot looked up to Incineroar, and Incineroar was great with little ones like Sobble and Raboot. It was a perfect matchup.

Kukui waved from the couch where he was sitting with Lei. “Alola!”

“Alola, Professor,” Goh replied as he flopped onto the couch. “How goes it?”

“Alright. Burnet stayed at Aether Paradise tonight for something work-related, so it’s just us guys. How’d it go with Parker?”

“Oh, Parker was thrilled. Kiawe and Ash nearly blew up the beach.”

Kukui laughed as Lei stirred. “Ah, Kiawe and Ash. Those two always end up nearly breaking things when they battle. They’re both intense fighters.”

Goh nodded; he knew all too well about Ash’s fiery spirit. “Yeah. Say, Ash and I were talking on our walk back.” There was a loud _klonk_ sound as Melmetal bonked Ash and Lycanroc. “Oh. Owch. You okay, sweetie?”

“I’ll live!”

Goh and Kukui eyed each other before Goh continued, “Yeah, like I was saying… Uhm, we were thinking that if Parker is gonna stay in Alola for the summer camp, he should stay here!”

Kukui let Lei go as the little one squirmed. “You mean here at this house? There’s no room; you guys are already in the loft.”

“Sure there is! We were talking earlier about the lab space downstairs. Ash wanted to get a slightly bigger bed anyway, and we’d already have tables and stuff down there. Maybe a foldable bed? Ash wants to pay for it. And you know how he is when he starts wanting to pay for things.”

Lei crawled his way over to Goh, where the infant was busily investigating the teen’s arm as Kukui considered the idea. “Well… I used to use that space for studying moves, but I do all that stuff outside nowadays...” He thought it over for a few moments more. “That room is pretty big. It wouldn’t be a big deal to put up a wall and make a bedroom there permanently. You’d just have to deal with the main part of the room being my office space.”

“We could handle that. We don’t even need a wall. Maybe some dividers or big curtains? That way, we’d have privacy, and you would too at the computer.”

Kukui laughed. “I don’t need much privacy in that space, but I like the ideas. We can probably have this setup by the end of the day tomorrow. It might take a couple days extra to get a new wall installed, but I know a guy.”

“Awesome… uhm…” Goh pointed at Ash, whose arm was being nommed on by Lycanroc. “You alright, Ash?”

“Y’know, I was–OW Lycanroc, stop!–just thinking… Maybe we should feed the Pokémon!”

“Ow!” Goh looked down to find little Lei imitating Lycanroc. Goh laughed as Kukui came over and grabbed him.

“Someone is hungry, I believe. Not sure if Lei learned to do that from Lycanroc or the other way around. Let’s eat, though. You boys feed the Pokémon, and I’ll order us some takeout. And little mister Lei here is gonna get a bottle!” Kukui flew the little one through the air alongside him, much to Lei’s screeching delight.

Goh hopped up and followed along as Ash called, “I want something from Mallow’s Restaurant! They’re still open at this time of night, right?”

“I think so, yep!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, all. COMING SOON: parties, science, and more! I've decided I will introduce a bit of angst/drama. Alola's great, but we can't have the whole fic being too calm, right? ;)
> 
> If you guys have any ideas for things you want to see happening in Alola, let me know! Feel free to leave a comment here or send me an ask or message on my tumblr page, @jjtherobot. I have a rough idea of what I want to do with this fic, but I always welcome reader suggestions or feedback.
> 
> By the way, I've never written an entire battle before. I might give that a shot in an upcoming chapter. Stay tuned for more, and leave me a comment with the kind of battle you'd want to see! :)
> 
> Seeya soon with chapter 7!  
> ~JJ


	7. Parker's Alolan Vacation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Parker says bye to his parents and sister as he prepares to spend the next two weeks in Alola! How will he handle his first time being so far away from family?

The next evening, it was Friday, the end of an eventful week. Ash and Goh were at the Hau’oli airport with Parker. Professor Cerise, Talia, and Chloe were all three in the security line, and Kukui was hanging near the entrance. Parker was bravely saying goodbye one last time while he could. Talia put on a brave face, too, but she was worried about her youngest son. He’d only just turned 9, and here she was about to leave him in a strange country thousands of miles from home. Naturally, her maternal instincts were against that idea.

Parker finished the sequences of hugs with Chloe. “Bye. I love you.” Like many boys, Parker wasn’t one to say that sort of thing a lot. Not because he didn’t love his sister, just because it wasn’t something that crossed his mind to communicate. Everyone knew he loved them, right?

Chloe hugged the boy back. Despite the outward appearance of disinterest that Chloe maintained, she was very fond of Parker and the others on the inside. She was at an awkward stage of puberty where expressing emotions like affection was difficult for her to do without feeling too vulnerable. Plus, sarcasm was fun. “Love you, Parker. We’ll miss you.” They held the hug for a moment, and they broke the hug. Holding Parker’s hands, she said, “Behave for Professor Kukui, Ash, and Goh, okay? Stay out of trouble… Because it tends to follow those two around.”

Ash and Goh had found themselves leaning on each other but quickly jumped apart when Chloe mentioned their names. Ash cleared his throat and said, “I have no idea what she means.” They were trying to keep the relationship a secret from Chloe. She would totally tease them over it if she found out about it.

“That’s even worse. Ash doesn’t realize he’s a magnet for crazy.”

“I’ll keep them both out of trouble, Chloe,” Goh interjected.

Before Chloe could say the snarky remark on the tip of her tongue, Parker just grinned and said, “I’ll be careful, I promise.” He let go of Chloe’s hands. He said that, but he is nine years old. At that age, a peculiar interest in trouble and mischief often captured his mind, as with many children that age.

The group chattered idly for a moment more before the security agent shouted, “Next!” It was the Cerise family’s turn to step up.

They waved and said bye one more time before they went. Parker retreated between Ash and Goh as he watched them leave. Goh held Parker’s hand and subtly said, “Just hang in there kiddo. Smile and wave.” Even Goh could tell Talia was barely keeping it together. She kept on staring back at her son before it was her turn to go through the scanner.

Once they were gone, Parker looked up at Goh and said, “I’m okay, I promise.”

“Yeah, I figured. Your mom was just not doing too well. I think she doesn’t like leaving you behind,” Goh explained.

Kukui clasped them both on the shoulders, startling them both. “I would have to agree with Goh. Talia seemed on edge. But you put on a big brave face for them, Parker. Great job!”

Ash stretched and yawned. “Can we leave, now?” He lowered his voice. “Y’know, before someone recognizes me?” Ash was wearing a pair of Kukui’s mirrored sunglasses and a lab coat, but that’d only work so long.

Parker jumped and said, “Yeah!”

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

The boys stopped to pick up pizzas for dinner on the way home. Kukui and Burnet didn’t usually eat out this much, but when Ash was in town, there simply wasn’t always time to cook. Today had been such a day. As they pulled into the driveway, the car had gone quiet aside from the radio. Goh broke the silence. “So, Parker… Ash and I made some arrangements. You know you’re staying here at Professor Kukui’s home this weekend… BUT, we have an offer for you.”

“Oh?” Parker perked up. He’d had a busy week. He didn’t have a lot of trouble with jet lag when they got to Alola, but he did have trouble sleeping while they were here. It was beginning to catch up to him. Parker was exhausted after everything.

Goh replied, “Yep! Professor Kukui, will you explain?”

As he parked the car, Kukui replied, “Sure. Grab those pizzas, boys.” He cut the engine, and they got out. “Parker, you have two choices of where to stay while you’re at camp. You can stay at the dorms we’re setting up at the school.” He stopped to unlock the door as the boys all greeted Ash’s Melmetal, which was lounging outside, slowly eating at a large pile of scrap steel. “Or you can stay at my home with the rest of us!”

Parker blinked as he walked inside. “So, like, I could stay here?” He looked at the older boys. “With Ash and Goh? And you and Professor Burnet and Lei?”

Ash replied, “Yep.”

As they all got inside the house, Burnet poked her head out of the bedroom. Parker grinned and said, “I’ll stay here with you guys!”

Burnet ran on her tip-toes, waving her arms frantically. In a loud whisper, Burnet said, “That’s great, Parker! You guys, be quiet, please! Lei is just waking up from a short nap; he’ll get cranky if we get too loud!” She had a desperate, pleading look in her eyes that only a tired parent could muster.

Kukui sighed. “Here, you stay out here and eat.” They met, and he kissed her with a quick peck on the cheek. “I’ll go and sit with him while he wakes up. I’m sorry that we’re back so late. The pizza place was running slow.”

“It’s okay. Thanks, babe.” Burnet looked visibly relieved as she poured herself into a dining room chair. Once Kukui closed the bedroom door, the rest of the crew could speak normally. Burnet started it off, “Phew. You guys, nobody warned me that little babies would be so fussy after naps.”

Ash laughed. “Your Munchlax is the same way, though. He’s always angry when he wakes up after a nap.” They were sitting the pizzas out on the counter.

Parker and Goh selected the slices they wanted as Burnet replied, “Yeah, but it’s easier to solve with Munchlax. Just toss him a scrap of some leftovers, and he’s all good.” She sighed. “Ash, will you make my plate? I’ve had a crazy couple of days. And bring me a drink from the fridge. In a glass, please.” She gave Ash a look that was just begging for him to be subtle.

Ash locked eyes with her for a moment; gears were obviously turning in his head before he nodded. “Uh, yeah, sure!” Beer. She wanted a beer with the pizza. But she didn’t want Parker to see that it was a beer. With a sneer, Ash said, “Maybe I should have my drink in a glass, too.”

Burnet glared at him. _That little smartass had better stay out of the beer!_ “You should stick to water or a soft drink, dear.” She shot him an evil look that got the point across clearly.

As Ash did that, Goh and Parker looked confused by the exchange, but Burnet decided not to give them a chance to question it. She changed the subject, “So, Parker… You wanna stay here, huh?”

“Yeah!” Parker was tearing into his pizza ferociously, not unlike a Munchlax, really. He just chewed his food better.

“Awesome! Ash and Goh are even gonna give you the loft.” She pointed upstairs. “It’s a super cozy little space, and it’s all yours for the next two weeks.”

Parker stopped his gluttony. “Huh? Where will they sleep, then?”

“They got a new bed today to keep downstairs.” Burnet took a plate and her glass of beer from Ash. She didn’t drink beer often, pretty much only when they ate pizza. It was a taste combination that she acquired a liking for back in Unova when she researched there in her mid-20’s. “Thanks, Ash.” She took a bite of pizza and a sip of the beer, finally letting herself genuinely relax for the first time today.

Burnet sat the glass down and continued, “Kukui even had a friend set up a new wall for a small bedroom down there…” She was still kinda pissed that Kukui had that done without consulting her. Kukui was lucky that she thought the work looked great and it was relatively cheap. Apparently, Ash, Goh, and Kukui did the work alongside the guy Kukui hired, so the labor cost was economical.

Parker took a drink of his pinap juice and said, “Do Ash and Goh sleep together?”

Goh blinked and said, “Huh? Oh, uh, yeah. We don’t mind.” He snickered inwardly.

Ash finally sat down next to Goh with his own plate. “We should tell Parker, Goh. It’s mean not to tell him.” Translation: Ash sorta liked to show off that he was dating Goh.

Goh sighed. “Oh. Fine. But Chloe will find out, now.”

“I don’t care.” Ash grinned and said, “Goh and I are boyfriends, Parker. It’s kinda a new thing.”

Parker eyed them. “Like… Boyfriend as in dating?”

Goh said, “Yep!” Goh and Ash knew the Cerise family was cool with the gays, so that wasn’t what they had been concerned about. They literally just didn’t want Chloe to know because she would make snarky jokes. It was not that the jokes would be mean-spirited; they just didn’t want her to know before they were sure the relationship was going to last more than a couple of weeks. Suffice to say that over the last few days, they’d both concluded this relationship would probably persist for a while. Maybe forever? A boy could hope.

Parker was thinking hard. “I didn’t know boys could do that.” He seemed confused.

 _Oh. Shit._ This might be an awkward conversation. Burnet and Goh looked at each other, both with absolutely zero ideas on how to explain this to Parker. Ash just blurted out, “Oh, it’s totally a thing! Sometimes boys like other boys or girls like other girls. Most people still end up dating the opposite gender like normal. Personally, I like boys and girls both.” Ash wrapped his arm around Goh and gave him a quick smooch on the cheek. “For now, though, Goh is my boyfriend, and I love him.”

Goh and Burnet both had their jaws hanging slack. Ash was a total natural at that. WOW. _Had Ash explained this to little kids before or something?_ Parker just finished chewing and replied, “Oh, cool. Well, you guys aren’t gonna be all gross like my mom and dad, right?”

Ash laughed, “Nah, man. We’re too cool for any really gross smoochy stuff in front of everyone. We might hold hands or something? I don’t know. But if we’re alone in our room or something with the door closed, you should probably knock first. Cool?”

Parker nodded. “Okay. And Mom said you should always knock before going into somebody’s room anyway. She said it’s rude not to do that.” Solid manners for a little kid, nice.

“Yep.” Ash took a bite of his pizza. With his mouth full, he added, “Oh, and if you wanna know more about this stuff, you should ask your parents. They can explain things really well, I bet.”

“Okay!” With that, Ash and Parker kept eating. The conversation was over.

Burnet and Goh just stared back and forth at each other and Parker. Ash was smooth.

Their awe was cut short as Ash stood up and yelled, “Pikachu! Drop that ketchup bottle! This is the fourth time this week!”

Pikachu bolted toward the living room. “Chu, pika!”

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

Later that night, it was bedtime. The whole household was collectively anxious to see if Parker was gonna feel homesick without his family around. Cerise had warned them this would be his first time so far away from home without a family member. Luckily, it seemed the kiddo was going to do just fine. He and the older boys went upstairs and hung out as he laid down for bed.

Ash and Goh kept Parker occupied long enough for him to fall asleep, then they crept downstairs. Rowlett had fallen asleep next to Parker’s pillow, snoozing like a little guardian over the boy. Incineroar had also been charged with sleeping in the loft and watching over the child. Everyone knew Rowlett could sleep through a hurricane, but having him nearby probably made Parker feel safer, at least.

Ash, Goh, Burnet, and Kukui met in the basement. Kukui said, “Well?”

Goh shrugged. “Kiddo was so tired that he fell asleep as we were talking. He’s been exhausted all afternoon and evening. This trip has worn him out.”

Burnet nodded. “Talia told me he was tired, yeah. They’ll be landing in Kanto in an hour or two, so I’ll drop her a text and let them know he’s okay. They’ll get it when they land. She was so worried.”

Ash just smiled. “Parker’s a great kid. He might get upset and homesick for a little bit eventually, but I think he’ll be okay.” Goh indicated his agreement.

Kukui nodded and said, “So Burnet told me you had an interesting conversation with Parker.”

Ash blinked. “What? Me? OH, you mean the thing where we’re dating. He took it fine.”

Burnet said, “No, Ash, you dork. You just flat out explained the basics of gays and lesbians and stuff to him like right off the top of your head.”

Ash raised an eyebrow. “Huh? That was easy! I just told him how it is. I’m sure he can ask his parents if he wants to know more. They’re super accepting about LGBT stuff.”

The rest of them smiled; Ash really did tend to look at things from a childlike perspective, especially potentially-sensitive topics like this. Burnet explained, “Yeah, Ash summarized all that, and Parker just kept eating his pizza. Like it wasn’t a big deal. Thank goodness.”

“I mean, it’s really not a big deal,” Kukui said. “Love is love. But I understand what you mean.” Burnet tended to overthink sensitive topics sometimes.

Goh seemed to have a lightbulb moment. “Nah, man, you guys are missing the point. Parker says gay rights!”

Ash and Burnet laughed, and Kukui gave a couple chuckles. Kukui yawned, “Yeah, alright. It’s late, so you two goofballs go get some sleep in that new bed. Don’t forget, we’re having dinner at Hala’s place tomorrow!” Kukui turned and walked upstairs, waving.

Following Kukui, Burnet said, “Good night, boys! Never a dull moment with you two around.”

Ash and Goh called back, “Good night!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alolan Dreams is where JJ does it for the memes lul. Parker says gay rights, okay. Good work, Goh. lmao.
> 
> This lingering little chapter brought to you by my ADHD. Next time, An Afternoon Trip and (maybe) Dinner at Hala's. Stay tuned, as the fun continues.
> 
> As always, let me know if you have any story ideas. We've got about another 3 weeks' worth of time in Alola to work with, so I've got plenty of space to write whatever. An afternoon adventure to a multi-day arc, whatever. :)
> 
> Have a great remainder of the week!  
> ~JJ


	8. The Saturday Adventures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goh is awkward, Lana is a certified scuba diver, Ash is contemplative, and Parker is just a cool kiddo. All these things make for an interesting Saturday in Alola.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey readers, enjoy this quirky chapter. :)

The next morning, Goh was feeling awkward in the bathroom aboard the boat. “Lana, is this _really_ what divers wear?” Goh and Lana were aboard a cruiser owned by Hala, and Goh was changing for his first day of research with Lana. He was in a somewhat… _different_ piece of swimwear.

“Yeah! Either that or they go naked in their wetsuit,” Lana replied from outside the door. “Personally, I don’t mind showing you how to put on the wetsuit nude, but you’re the one that seems shy here, not me.”

Goh sighed and grumbled as he opened the door. “Ugh, fine.” He was wearing a red swim brief with white patterns of fern leaves adorning it. “This just feels so revealing.”

Lana examined him and said, “Nah, man. I can’t see anything uncomfortable other than those tan lines. Either you’ve not got much of a package, or the liner inside the front is doing its job.” Goh just glared at her, and she stuck out her tongue. “Lighten up, just a joke. You really do look fine, I promise. You Kanto people might not wear this kind of suit a lot, but it’s common in Alola. You’ll fit right in. Now, come on.” Lana was wearing her one-piece swimsuit, as usual.

“No wonder you and Ash get along,” Goh said as he followed her and put his things onto the table as Lana sat out the wetsuits. “You’re both utterly without shame.”

Lana quipped, “Yep!” She gestured to the bench. “Alright, have a seat. Kukui bought a great wetsuit for you, so I’m gonna show you how to put it on.” They both had wetsuits in hand, now.

With some work, Lana and Goh both got their wetsuits on snugly. Lana’s suit went around her whole body aside from her head and was black with flashy orange and silver highlights. Goh’s wetsuit was a shorty-suit; it went down his legs to just above his knees, and the sleeves on his arms were short like a regular shirt. Goh was testing his range of movement and admiring the red pinstripes on the seams, as well as the flashy silvery bits. “Is it supposed to be all crinkly when I move?” The rubbery material that made up the wetsuit had a peculiar smell. It smelled like some sort of new plastic container.

“Yep. I’m gonna get my scuba gear ready, but you can head on up with Professor Kukui if you want. He’s gonna tell you about the checklist.”

Goh smiled. “Nope, I wanna help you first!”

“Okay. Start by handing me that hair tie,” Lana pointed. After a few minutes of gathering up the gear, Lana had her swim fins on, along with her scuba tank and respirator. She had a mask in hand as they walked out on the stern of the vessel.

Goh shouted, “Professor, we’re ready!” Goh had a mask and snorkel in-hand. He marveled at the open ocean around them, fascinated by the vastness of the sea. Akala Island and Melemele Island towered behind them like stone giants in the distance.

Kukui peaked over from his reclined position on the upper deck. “Already? That was fast.” Raboot was also sitting in a beach chair.

“Yep, we’re ready for the checklist,” Lana said.

Kukui climbed down to them with his clipboard in hand, but Raboot stayed on the boat’s top deck. He took out two Pokéballs and said, “Here’s this, to start. Go!” Out came Lana’s Primarina and Professor Kukui’s Empoleon, both of whom landed in the water.

Lana waved at Primarina as she said, “Thanks for hanging onto Primarina’s Pokéball for me.”

“No problem. I’m going to lend you and Goh my Empoleon while you’re doing this research. Empoleon is strong and can rescue people from the water easily. When I’m not around on your next trip, I fully expect you two to have Empoleon out at all times. Sophocles will be with you, but he won’t be a lot of help with stuff like that. He’s a data-type of guy.” Kukui’s tone changed, and he was suddenly serious. “Am I understood?”

Lana replied, “Yes, Professor.”

Kukui continued, “And this is not free-diving, Lana. You are to be tethered to this boat at all times with a diver’s buoy. I mean it. We are going to do this safely, or I will shut it down. End of story. Got it?”

“We already went through this, I know!” Lana was excited to get in the water. “I’m a level 3 certified diver; I know what I’m doing, Professor.”

Kukui smiled and loosened up. “I wanted to repeat it for Goh’s sake. Now, let’s do our pre-dive checklist.” He looked at the clipboard he had in hand. “Follow along with me, Goh. If you guys are going to do this on your own, I want you both to know the checklist. And remember, you’re only going in the water with her to ensure her equipment functions well. After the first few minutes, it’s back up to the boat with you until she’s ready for the GPS tags to be brought to her. Now, first up, let’s try a radio check.”

Goh was thrilled at all this. Working with equipment like this always got him excited.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

Back on Melemele Island, Professor Burnet, Lei, and Parker were on their own adventure at the mall in Hau’oli City. Parker needed some more clothes for his time in Alola. His parents had left Professors Kukui and Burnet a reasonable sum of money to take the boy shopping. Parker was on the phone as they finished eating an early lunch. “Okay, Mom. I love you, too. Tell Dad and Chloe the same to them.” Pause. “Okay, bye!” He slipped his phone back into his pocket and worked on finishing his meal, a burger with fries.

Burnet said, “Well, how’s everyone back home, Parker?”

“They’re okay. Mom said that Dad and Chloe were still all jet-lagged and stuff.” He munched down a fry. “I think you guys are right. Mom did sound a bit worried.” Parker was old enough to tell when something is wrong.

Burnet nodded as she wiped her mouth. “It’s normal. She’ll be okay.”

Parker nodded back. “So, I was on my phone earlier. I looked up some stuff about boys that like boys. It’s called being gay.” He took a drink. “I’d heard about that at school, didn’t know that’s what it meant.”

“Oh?” Burnet was feeding Lei small pieces of fries as she ate her meal. The infant loved to eat what the big kids and adults were eating. It was wild what kids could learn on the internet these days… She wondered if maybe she should tell Talia that Parker was looking into that sort of stuff. Surely they had some kind of parental controls on his phone, though – something to keep him away from shadier parts of the web. He was still just 9, so there were definitely many things he could stand to avoid on the web.

“Yeah. Is it true that lots of people are mean to boys like that?”

Burnet looked over at Parker and frowned. “Yeah. Although lots of people are okay with it nowadays, there are still many hateful people out there. Why?”

“Uhm.” Parker took his phone out and pulled something up. “This! I wanna support them!” He showed the woman a photo of a few pride flags and people wearing shirts with the flags.

Burnet continued to be impressed with Parker’s strong character and sense of morality. “You know what? That is a great idea, Parker. I know just the right store to look for stuff like that.” Burnet found herself hoping that she and Kukui could raise Lei to be as thoughtful as Parker was. “I think I might buy some stuff for Kukui, Lei, and I, too!” She reached over and ruffled his hair.

Parker grinned. “Thanks!” Parker was finding this whole being without Mom and Dad thing interesting. It seemed like Kukui and Burnet treated him more like an adult, and he really liked that.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

That afternoon, the weather was partly cloudy and the temperature mild, making for a pleasant day to exercise. Ash had taken full advantage of the fair weather by training hard at the beach near Kukui’s home. Riolu and Pikachu had a mock battle against Lycanroc and Incineroar that had lasted for an hour or more. The entire crew was absolutely beat, so Ash had sent them inside to have their lunch and rest in the air conditioning. Ash stayed outside on the porch with Melmetal, enjoying the ocean breeze as he sweated in the midday heat. He was alone for now, but surely someone would be home soon. Right?

He sat down on a reclining chair kept on the porch where Kukui often napped on the weekends. He enjoyed the view of the ocean and sky for a few minutes, letting his mind wander. Ash really did love it here in Alola. Goh may have been right the other night. Maybe he did belong here.

Ash looked at his phone and thought for a minute or so. He’d talked to Mom and Professor Oak about this Champion thing. He had to give Hala his answer tonight at dinner. Would Ash be the Alolan version of Lance or Cynthia? Was he ready for that? He had one more person to talk to about the situation. Ash pulled up a contact and started a call. It rang several times before a gruff voice answered, “Hello?”

Ash smiled and said, “Alola, Gladion.”

Gladion replied, “Oh, Ash. Glad to hear from you.”

“Same to you. How are the travels going?”

“Oh, you know. Magearna is onto something. We just have to stick with her and collect more data. How about you? I heard you’re in Alola.”

“Oh? How’d you hear that?”

“On the news in the hotel room.” Gladion laughed. “The champion of Alola battling with a stranger on the beach at Akala Island and unleashing huge Z-moves isn’t exactly a subtle event. Someone recorded the battle on their phone. They played clips of it on the news.”

Ash laughed nervously. “Heh, fair enough. What’d you think of the battle?” Ash made a mental note to be careful how he talked in public battles like that.

“It definitely seemed like something you and Kiawe would get up to… Anyways, to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?” There’s the Gladion Ash knew. Direct and to the point.

Ash stretched out in his chair and leaned his foot on the porch rail. “Well, I’ve been offered a job as the Alolan Champion. They want to make me official… Like Lance in Kanto or Cynthia in Sinnoh.”

“I see.” Gladion yawned over the line. “Sorry, you caught me at a late hour. It’s dark here. But uh, don’t worry, you didn’t wake me up. I was just out here watching the stars with Umbreon.”

“Right, sorry. I’m not sure if I want the job or not. You know I’m not one for staying in one place for long. They said I could have exhibition matches with anyone I want during the championship conferences, though, and that they weren’t making me stay in Alola all the time. I wondered if you’d consider flying back here to battle with me at the conference if I accepted. Your battles were always some of the most fun.”

“Could I participate in the championship?”

“Yeah. But to battle me, you’d have to make it through the tournament and beat the Elite Four. Or you could just do exhibition matches with me.”

Gladion laughed, “I mean, I could probably do that. We still train hard. I’ve had my fair share of battles while we’ve been on the road.”

Ash was suddenly nostalgic for the times last year before he left Alola. “You know, I do miss you and Lilly.” Ash sighed. “Well, anyway. What do you think? Should I take the job?”

Gladion was quiet for a few moments. When he spoke, he was pensive, “I mean, what does everyone else think?”

“Everyone thinks I should do it, even my Mom. I just don’t like the idea of being tied down, even if they aren’t gonna make me stay here.”

“Well, you deserve the title. You’re as Alolan as anyone. You’re not a native, but in your heart, I believe you’re one of us. Even the Tapus acknowledge you. They don’t really do that with outsiders…” He paused for a few seconds and said, “Yeah. I think you should take the offer. Who says you’d have to keep the title forever, anyway? Who knows, I might decide to steal it from you.” Gladion laughed.

Ash laughed, too. “Yeah, a fair point.” Something about Gladion’s laugh was calming. Ash bit his lip for several seconds before finally saying, “I’ll consider it some more. Thanks for the advice, Gladion. You and Lilly should text me sometime. It’d be great to hear from you.”

“Sure, that sounds like a good idea. Anyways, I’m about ready for bed. I think I’ll hop off here.”

Ash leaned back in the chair. “Alright. Thanks again for talking, Gladion. Tell Lilly and your mom I said hello.”

“Sure thing, Ash. Take care.”

The call ended, and Ash sighed. “Melmetal.” The steel-type Pokémon looked over at him with a squeak. “I am going to go inside and have a shower. You coming inside?” It grunted affirmatively, so Ash led the way inside. “C’mon, then.”

Ash closed the door behind them and walked off to the bathroom. He took a shower, quickly getting the sweat and grime off his body. He grabbed a protein bar from the pantry, went downstairs to get dressed, and just as he was putting on shorts, he noticed he had a new text message. He opened his phone and read it as he crunched down the protein bar. He half-chuckled in amusement.

Lana: “Dude. Your bf is smokin HOT in the new swim briefs he got to wear under his wetsuit. 🔥🥵 You’re lucky he’s gay or some girl would’ve pounced on him by now.”

Ash laughed, but the mental image of Goh in that swimsuit was pleasing to think about. He typed back: “lmao I think he’s officially bi but he’s all mine. stay awayyyy 😜 besides he dont even wear a swimsuit when he swims with me 🙈”

Lana was typing a reply as Ash flopped onto the new bed. “omg no way. Couple goals tho. Does he have a twin brother I could date or smtg??”

Ash sent back a couple of emojis and a no as he stretched out with a yawn. He smelled Goh’s shampoo on the pillow as he laid down, and he found that comforting. He whistled loudly. “Hey, all you Pokémon! It’s nap time!”

He heard the sound of feet pounding down the stairs, and soon he had Lycanroc, Riolu, Pikachu, and Rowlett snuggled up around him. Ash fell asleep surrounded by the group. The other Pokémon must have been content to hang out upstairs.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

A few hours later, Ash was shaken awake by Goh. “Ash! Wake up, deadass. I let you sleep when we got home, but it’s time to get up!”

Ash blinked and rubbed his eyes. “Huh?”

“Good evening, sleepyhead. It’s almost time to go to Hala’s place, so it’s time to wake up, sweetie.”

Ash sat up and stretched, causing Riolu and Pikachu to tumble off him. “I was having a dream about you in that new swimsuit you got.”

Goh chortled as he changed shirts. “No wonder you had a big grin on your face when I walked in. Why’d you have that on your mind, though?”

“Oh, Lana said you looked hot in them.” He laughed. “She said it was a good thing I already had you. Better watch out for her.”

Goh was blushing. “Oh, really?” He reached down to change shorts and socks next. His cheeks were turning redder and redder as he did.

“Yeah. Don’t worry about it. She’s a good friend. Lana won’t make any moves on you.” He paused, and a devious smile crept across his lips. “At least, not without my permission.”

“Oh.” Goh stood back up after a few seconds, now in some nicer clothes. “Well, just warn me first.” Goh was pretty sure Ash was kidding. Like, 90% sure.

“Alright, will do.” The Pokémon all jumped from the bed as Ash stood up. “Toss me a shirt that looks good with these shorts. I don’t wanna look goofy at Hala’s place.”

The boys continued getting ready for a few minutes before Burnet yelled down the stairs, “Ash and Goh! Come up here quick when you’re ready to leave. We’ve got a surprise for you!”

The boys eyed each other. Ash finished tying his shoes and said, “This had ought to be good.” Ash stood up, grabbed Goh, and gave him a quick smooch. “Show me that swimsuit when we’re home.”

Goh stuttered out, “Uh, yeah. Okay.”

They walked upstairs and looked out the door. “We’re here,” Ash called.

Parker said, “In the living room!” Everything was dark, but they walked toward the living room.

In unison, Parker, Kukui, and Burnet said, “Surprise!” and the lights kicked on.

“Oh,” Goh said. Burnet and Parker were wearing black shirts with “Proud Ally” emblazoned on them. Parker’s had the text in a rainbow scheme, and Burnet’s was colored after the pan flag. Kukui was wearing a new hat with the text “Ally” on it. The underside of the hat was rainbow-colored. “Those are so cool!”

Ash smiled. “Awww, thanks! Whose idea was this?”

Kukui and Burnet pointed at Parker. Parker explained, “I wanted you guys to know I support you!”

Burnet explained, “Parker read on the internet that some people don’t like LGBTQ people. He wanted to make sure those people knew he thinks they’re wrong.” Parker was standing there like a superhero, proud to represent.

Kukui summarized, “Basically, Parker _actually_ says gay rights.” He looked specifically at Goh when he said that.

A grin appeared on Goh’s face at that. Goh said, “Hey, you guys jump out of the way; I gotta send his sister a photo of him. Is that okay, Parker?”

“Yeah!”

Kukui and Burnet walked over to Ash as Goh snapped his photo. Kukui said, “They bought you and Goh shirts, too. Though, Burnet didn’t know if Goh was gay or bi, so she went with bi.”

Burnet scooped Lei up from his spot playing on the floor. “And, your little brother has one, too.”

Ash read Lei’s onesie aloud. “Proud ally of my big brother!” It had a rainbow pattern on the chest, too. “That’s so cool, guys; the stuff looks great. I’m glad you guys think we’re worth buying all this stuff for! But… Are we wearing this stuff to Hala’s place?”

“Ah, no,” Kukui said. “Parker and Lei are, but Burnet and I are going to change into something a bit more normal. With all the Kahunas there, we wanted to look a bit more professional. BUT we promise we’ll wear this stuff in public with you guys anytime you want as long as it’s not an official event of some sort. The Masked Royal might just get something to wear to his matches, too. Deal?” Ash nodded, excited that Kukui was going to represent with his Masked Royal persona.

“Yeah, we gotta change. Here, will you hang onto Lei?” Burnet offered the baby to Ash, and he accepted him. She said, “Thanks! We’re gonna go change super quick, and then we’ll get on the road.”

As they scurried off, Ash walked with Lei over to Parker and Goh. “Hey, Parker, thanks, dude. I’m glad we told you about this.” He was making silly faces at Lei as he said that.

Parker nodded. “Nobody is gonna be mean to Ash and Goh! Not with me around!” Goh offered the kiddo a high-five, and Parker readily accepted it.

Goh’s phone dinged, and he laughed. “I sent Chloe the picture and said, ‘Parker says gay rights!’ and she just replied…” He laughed some more. “She said she knew we’d been acting odd.”

Ash snorted. “So, she suspected us anyways?”

Goh wagged his finger. “It’s not like you’ve been trying hard to keep it a secret. You held my hand on the beach the other day when we got malasadas. I told you she kept giving us weird looks!”

Ash just shrugged as he continued to amuse Lei. He stuck his tongue out, and the infant went straight for it with a hand. Ash yelped as the baby pinched his tongue and didn’t let go. Lei squealed joyously as Burnet walked out of the bedroom. She shouted, “Ah! Don’t stick your tongue out at Lei! He’s got a bad habit of… Well, that. Here let me help.” She jogged over as Parker and Goh tried to stop laughing. “Lei, that’s not nice. Use soft touches on big brother.”

Kukui exited the room wearing a shirt and said, “Alright, everyone. Return your Pokémon to their Pokéballs. Hala said they’re invited tonight, too. Quick, quick, we’ll be late!”

It was going to be a fun dinner, that’s for sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Expect chapter 9, Dinner at Hala's, to be out sometime between Tuesday and Friday of next week (between March 8th and 11th). As always, I'm curious to hear everyone's feedback (and your ideas for things you want to happen in future chapters, please!).
> 
> I'm having more fun writing Parker than I originally thought I would, which is why we're seeing a lot of him. As you may have surmised, my plans for this story are VERY loose and flexible. I've got a general outline, but most of the scenes and details are being thought up as I go along with my writing. That's one of my favorite ways to write, but it can also lead to me rambling or staying on a particular thing too long. So feel free to let me know if you think I should get moving along. I'll take any feedback into consideration :)
> 
> For now, I hope everyone is having a happy weekend and I'm just floored by all the support you guys are showing me. I don't often write for large fandoms like Pokemon. so the sheer number of hits and kudos and comments I'm getting really get me fired up. Thanks so much for your support, and keep it coming. 💜  
> ALSO, a small announcement. **I am seeking a beta reader for this fic.** I really like having someone give a glance at new chapters before I post them. My normal beta reader isn't a fan of Pokemon, so they're not interested in beta reading for this fic. Interested individuals should contact me about this opportunity via my Tumblr page, @jjtherobot. If you don't have Tumblr, I can also be found on Discord! Just drop me an anonymous ask on Tumblr and I'll answer it with my discord contact information (just check back on my blog after a few hours for the answer).  
> (I don't want to post my discord username here on AO3 for a plethora of reasons).
> 
> Anyways, thanks for reading, all.  
> ~JJ


	9. Dinner At Hala's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chapter title says it all, today.

The drive to Hala’s home wasn’t a long one, but Kukui’s car could only hold so many people. Ash elected to stay behind for the first trip while Kukui dropped everyone else off. After about twenty minutes, Kukui returned. “Let’s go,” called Kukui as Ash and Pikachu hopped into the vehicle. It was getting dark now.

Once they were moving, things were quiet for a couple minutes. Once they turned onto the long, winding road that served as Hala’s driveway, Kukui said, “Well, Champ? What’s your answer gonna be?”

Ash sighed and looked at Pikachu pensively. “Well, I’ve put a lot of thought into it. If you promise I can live the way I want to and that I won’t be tied here permanently…” He looked up at Kukui. “I accept the offer.”

Kukui smiled. “I promise, Ash. This is a position that you can leave at any time, though I think we both know you’ve got some ties to this place.”

Ash smiled back at the professor. “Yeah. I’m slowly realizing that myself, with help from you all.”

“Good. We— _shit!_ ” They were slowly rounding a sharp curve when Kukui slammed on the brakes. He instinctively put a hand out in front of Ash and Pikachu as the car came to a stop. Kukui’s heart felt like it was trying to burst out of his chest as they stared at what stopped them. In front of the headlights hung Tapu Koko, not exactly a common sight.

Tapu Koko stared at them, cocking its head and trilling, “Kokooooooo!” It wasn’t a threatening sound, but it most definitely seemed like a challenge. The Land Spirit danced around the car, chanting its name over and over.

“Tapu Koko,” Ash inquired. “What do you want?”

Tapu Koko stopped by Ash’s side of the vehicle. “Koko.” It pointed at him and Pikachu.

“Pika!” Pikachu’s hackles rose and electricity arced from its cheeks. “Chu!”

“Kokoko!” Tapu Koko was laughing. It danced around the car for a few seconds more before it disappeared into the thick jungle around them.

Ash calmed Pikachu down and said, “I’m not sure what that meant, but it seemed…”

“Ominous,” Kukui said. “I don’t like it when Tapu Koko gets mysterious with you.” They looked around the jeep for a few more moments before Kukui said, “Let’s keep moving. Maybe Hala will know something…”

“Yeah.” Ash could feel his chest tightening and his heart racing. The familiar feeling of an adrenaline rush. Maybe Tapu Koko was just feeling playful? Ash’s gut instinct felt as though there was something more threatening at work.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

Hala issued forth a huge belly laugh. “Tapu Koko? I wouldn’t worry about that. He knows when there’s a party going on, I suppose. Now, let’s eat!” Ash and Kukui eyed each other, not entirely convinced of Hala’s reply. They were interrupted when Hala pushed them toward the table of food.

The other Kahunas—Nanu of Ula’ula, Olivia of Akala, and Hapu of Poni—were here tonight. There was a raging bonfire, and Hala had prepared enough food to feed the small army of people. Ash and Kukui soon lost the feeling of dread they had as the group sat around a pair of tables and feasted and had a merry time.

Hala spoke across the table at one point, “Ash, young Parker here was telling me before you and Kukui got here that you’re pansexual, with some help from Goh. This might surprise you to hear, but that was a fairly common thing among native Alolans in the past. Before the white men came to the islands, it was a widely accepted role. It still is, really.”

Olivia wiped her mouth and said, “What Hala says is true. There was a special word for people that identified that way. What was it, Hala?”

“Ah, I’m not sure, really. Much of the ancient Alolan tongue has been lost over the years. I’m sure several elders could tell you, but I am not one of them. I wish I had paid more attention when my great-grandma tried teaching it to me as a boy. But I have a grandson that is… Uh, what is it they say now… transgender!”

Ash and Goh eyed each other. Ash said, “Y’know, it doesn’t surprise me. The Alolans are ahead on a lot of things, it seems. And which grandson?”

Hala said, “Ah, I won’t say which for the boy’s privacy, but it is not Hau. It is one of his cousins, though. The ancient Alolans also embraced our brothers and sisters that identified differently. Again, most of us still do.”

Goh finished chewing a bite of the pork Hala had roasted. “The Alolans are definitely doing good with how they cook pork. This is great, Mister Hala.” Ash’s head was drawn to a flash of purple between bushes. He blinked. Maybe it was a Zubat.

Hala waved a bone at Goh. “Thank you! I cooked that pork in a traditional way that’s been passed down in my family for many generations.” He briefly described how the meat was wrapped in palm tree fans and then buried under the sand. Finally, it was cooked in the sand underneath a roaring fire all day.

Nanu chimed in a comment, “He has the other Kahunas over for dinner like this every other month, and he always manages to explain to us how he cooks the pork.” This drew laughter from the other adults. Ash stole a glance at Hapu; she seemed distant tonight. Quieter than usual.

Olivia added in, “Oh, leave him alone, Nanu. At least he talks some.”

Nanu shrugged and said, “What can I say… Good food shuts me up.” That wasn’t entirely true; Nanu just didn’t think it was worth the effort to talk through the entire meal.

Kukui chimed in, “I bet we have Hapu to thank for these Poni radishes. Did you cook them, Hapu?”

“I did, yes. I’m gratified that you enjoy them.” Hapu was not very forthcoming tonight.

The banter continued for quite some time. After an hour or so, the feasting and fun had slowed down, and everyone’s bellies were full. But Ash had never entirely shaken the feeling that something was off; even the Pokémon were acting funny. Incineroar and Lycanroc kept looking at something around them just outside the fire’s light. All traces of sunlight were gone, now, and the only light available was from small torches dotting around the houses and from the bonfire.

Hala stood and said, “Alright, everyone, let’s get to why we’re really here.” The other Kahunas stood up abruptly. Something was about to go down. Pikachu ran over to Ash, and Lycanroc could be heard snarling at something in the darkness. “Ash. What’s your answer? Are you to be the Champion of Alola?” Nanu, Olivia, and Hapu moved toward the bonfire.

Ash wasn’t bothered by the strange, tense atmosphere that had developed, though he was keenly aware of it. He stood up and stepped away from the table by several steps. “I have decided that my answer is yes.”

“Wait, you never told me about that, Ash,” Goh said.

Kukui grabbed Goh. “Not now!” Kukui’s eyes had a wild look in them; he and Burnet felt the atmosphere change, too. Goh backed down but seemed confused.

Hala slapped the table and shouted something in a guttural tone; it was unintelligible, but it echoed through the forest. Everything went dead silent aside from a low-pitched rumble beginning to build around them.

Nanu, Olivia, and Hapu all chanted in the same tongue and threw something into the fire that caused it to roar to life. All the Z-rings present began to glow.

The terrain suddenly went yellow around them, and Kukui’s eyes went wide as he shouted, “Everyone, get down! Now!” Kukui grabbed Lei and dove for the ground just as all Hell broke loose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes the fic writer can throw in a little angst and suspense as a treat. What do you guys think I'm about to pull, here? 😁
> 
> Expect the thrilling continuation with Chapter 10 on March 10th or 11th. Don't forget to hit subscribe so the archive will send you an email as soon as I publish chapters! :)  
> (I'm still hunting for a beta reader, btw. See the previous chapter's endnotes for how to communicate with me to "apply")  
> ~JJ


	10. A Tapu Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is the longest one yet. I wasn't sure if I wanted to split it into two, but I think this works well the way it's written. Just consider this your fair warning to get comfortable before you start this chapter. ;)

Everyone except Ash and the Kahunas hit the ground just in time as a wave of dazzling light washed over the area. Ash was blinded for a moment, but he was surrounded by the four kahunas and Tapus Bulu, Lele, Fini, and Koko when he could see again.

Ash’s blood was boiling hot; he knew something was off! “What’s this about?” Pikachu stood on Ash’s shoulder and growled at the threatening group.

Nanu said, “Just follow us.”

Ash gritted his teeth as they led him up onto the battlefield. Olivia said, “Sorry, Ash. But if you’re going to be the Champion…”

“We have to approve it,” Hapu finished.

Kukui and the others had stood up. “Hala! You could’ve given us some warning!” Lei was screaming, and Parker was cowering at Goh’s leg. The whole group was shaken up.

“The Tapus did not wish to warn the group,” Hala said calmly.

That did it for Ash. Something was wrong here—the atmosphere had a heavy feeling of danger. Ash shouted, “Lycanroc, Melmetal! Protect the baby and Parker!” He wasn’t sure how this was about to go; was he going to have to fight? Ash’s thoughts were moving at lightning speed as he said, “Incineroar, Rowlett, Riolu! To me!” The Pokémon sprinted to do as they were told. The other Pokémon all rushed to surround their trainers. Ash’s heart was pounding as he struggled to determine what strategy could occupy the four Tapus long enough for everyone else to escape. Winning was probably not possible.

They stopped when Ash stood in the center of the battlefield. Nanu said, “Calm yourselves.” Incineroar, Rowlett, and Riolu circled around the Kahunas and Tapus, ready to pounce on command.

Hala continued the thought, “Nobody was harmed.”

Hapu next, “We are examining you.”

Olivia kept it going, “To determine your worthiness.”

In unison, the four kahunas finished, “To be the Champion.”

“I don’t think I will calm down,” Ash growled out. “I don’t like it when my friends are threatened.” Pikachu’s cheeks were crackling with electricity.

“Ash!” Kukui shouted, “It’s not the Kahunas talking! The Tapus are in control!”

Ash looked over at Kukui; the man was serious, damn! This made sense, but it was not a good situation to be in. Tapu Koko and Tapu Lele were both outright dangerous at times. Ash didn’t know as much about Tapu Bulu and Tapu Fini, but he knew they were all as likely to be friendly as they were to attack. “What do I do, Professor?”

“Nothing sudden! Just wait!”

Ash took a few deep breaths, willing himself to remain composed. The Kahunas stopped circling him, and the Tapus inched closer to Ash, examining him at length. Ash maintained as threatening of an appearance as he could. He would not let the Tapus intimidate him. Nobody bullies Ash Ketchum.

Eventually, the Tapus were encircling him closely. Ash could nearly reach out and touch them. Tapu Koko, obviously the leader of this group, stopped in front of Ash. The two of them engaged in a deadly-serious staring contest. Tapu Koko’s eyes were simultaneously cold, calculating, insane, and unpredictable. There was nothing there that Ash could readily interpret aside from that, and Ash already knew Tapu Koko was all of those things. The Pokémon was clearly dangerous, but Ash stared back at the guardian deity with a fierce intensity. “Go ahead. Try me.”

Ash’s heart pumped harder; he almost regretted saying that. Everything went utterly quiet around them. The only thing Ash could perceive was his heartbeat; it was so loud. Could everyone else hear it?? The entire forest silently dared one of them to make a move. With a ragged breath, Ash doubled down, “I am not scared of you, Tapu Koko.” And he wasn’t. He was afraid one of his friends would get hurt, though. That thought sent Ash into a seething world of rage. He snarled, “Pikachu and I will wipe the floor with you. Right now.” Holy shit, Ash couldn’t believe he said that.

In a beat, Tapu Koko’s mood seemed to change. It pulled away and trilled, “Kokoko!” It was laughing, and the other Tapus joined it in laughing as they danced around Ash and Pikachu in an ever-widening circle. Once they were beyond the Kahunas, the Tapus burst off into the dark. They were gone.

The Kahunas all fell to the ground; whatever hold the Tapus had on them must have been released. The Electric Terrain faded as well. Ash shouted, “Tapu Koko!” Ash threw his hat in a rage, and Pikachu hopped off him and sent a Thunderbolt into a nearby tree. Pikachu and Ash both roared with anger, leaving the forest echoing with fury. The tree Pikachu struck was blackened and burst into smoke as Ash let his concern take over. He ran over to Kukui and the others, “Are you okay? Is Lei okay?”

Burnet had been looking everyone over. “Yeah, we’re fine. Kukui landed so that Lei was pointing up… Are you alright?”

Ash grumbled out, “Yeah.”

Parker finally stuttered out, “What happened?” The little one was spooked, and that stoked Ash’s rage back into an inferno of wrath. Goh held onto Parker protectively.

Ash whipped around and ran back over to the Kahunas. Ash shouted, “What was that, Hala?” Kukui handed Lei off to Burnet and ran over with Ash.

The Kahunas were all rubbing their heads and sitting up. Kukui bent down to Hala. “Hala! Are you okay?”

Hala coughed and said, “Yes. I’ll live.” He stood up and groaned. “The Tapus have done that to the Kahunas once in my lifetime. Before I was Kahuna, at that.” His knees were shaking.

Ash spat, “Why did they do that? They scared Parker and Lei!”

“Ash, stop!” Kukui grabbed Ash’s shoulder and held him back. “Ash, you had better calm down.” Ash gritted his teeth, but Kukui gave him a stern look. “Nobody was hurt. You know how the Tapus are. They’re cruel when it suits them, Ash. Now, calm yourself before you do something you regret!”

Hala swatted Kukui’s hands away. “Leave him be. He’s right to be angry. That’s probably what kept Tapu Koko at bay.” Hala gripped at his chest, obviously winded. Ash softened slightly at that, but he maintained a deadly stare.

Nanu said, “Hala. You need to sit down.”

Olivia grabbed the elderly man. “Come on, Hala.” They led him over to the table as Ash and Kukui stood there, trying to calm down.

Hapu put a hand on Ash’s shoulder. “Calm yourself, Ash. It’s over, now. Let’s go hear what Hala has to say.” She was confused, too. This wasn’t something she had been prepared for, either.

Hapu’s jumbled demeanor was enough to snap Ash out of it. He looked at Kukui and nodded, taking a deep breath. Breathlessly, Kukui said, “Thank you for protecting Lei.” The man hugged Ash quickly.

Ash patted Kukui’s back and broke the hug. “It’s what big brothers do,” Ash mumbled.

Hapu led them over to the table, where Hala was splashing his face with ice water from a pitcher. Hala croaked out, “Ash. I’m sorry for that.” Olivia fanned Hala’s face with a napkin.

Lei had stopped crying in the background; that brought Ash’s fury down by a tremendous amount. Parker ran over to Ash and hugged him tightly. Goh followed close behind. Ash put his hand on Parker’s back and mumbled, “What just happened, Hala?”

Hala took a few deep breaths, slowly regaining his composure. “I’m sorry. I’m not as young as I once was. That took a lot from me.” He wiped his brow and finally spoke, “The Tapus judged you worthy of being Champion if it means anything. I just realized; this party is similar to a ritual that used to occur when Alola was ruled by… Well, there is no word for it in this language. The closest thing is an Emperor, but it wasn’t as threatening as that makes it sound.”

Nanu eyed Hala. “Wait, THAT is what happened during those ceremonies? Nobody ever told me the Kahunas got… Possessed! That was…” He wiggled his upper body and made a disgusted sound. “That was weird!”

Olivia sat down next to Hala. “They did, Nanu. I can’t believe I didn’t put it together. It makes sense.” Olivia was better educated on the ancient Alolan lore than Hapu and Nanu. However, Hala was by far the best educated in the group.

“The Tapus,” Hala explained, “are our guardian deities. They were intimately involved in the selection of rulers in the old days. Nowadays, they only select Kahunas. Apparently… They’ve found someone else they wish to approve of before they take office.” Everyone looked to Ash.

Goh cried, “But why did they do that? They didn’t have to scare everyone. That was dangerous!”

Hala nodded. “We made the mistake of inviting friends and family. Normally, this ceremony would be just the Kahunas and whoever was being selected. I did not expect this to happen.” The elderly man shakily stood up and kneeled on the ground with his face down. “I beg your forgiveness, Ash and Kukui. I was negligent and endangered your family.”

Kukui sighed and replied, “It’s okay, Hala. Nobody was hurt. Just startled. It could have been worse.”

Hala sat up and looked at Parker and Goh. “I am sorry, boys. Alola is a peaceful place. This was not a normal occurrence.” Parker just nodded, but Goh clenched and unclenched his fists nervously.

Ash challenged, “Is Tapu Koko always such a bully when there are little children around, Hala?”

Nanu chided, “The Tapus are the embodiment of nature, Ash. They can be helpful heroes, and they can be cruel and uncaring bullies. Kukui was right earlier.”

Burnet said, “Maybe it would be best if we all went home, everyone. The party has been fun, but I think this is a good time to call it for the night.”

Kukui quickly indicated his agreement, “Burnet’s right. That was a spiritual moment. Maybe we should all rest and reflect on it.”

Ash picked up Parker, hugging the little one. “I’ll still do it, Hala. Tapu Koko will see that I am not someone to be bullied around. I will be the Champion.”

“I think that was the point, Ash,” mused Hapu.

Olivia nodded. “She’s right. As far as the Tapus are concerned, you are their Champion, now. You responded exactly how they wanted you to, Ash. If you had backed down, they would have deemed you unworthy.”

Hala added, “Instead, you protected your friends and were prepared to battle all four Tapus.” Ash stared intently at Hala, and the man released a heavy sigh and a groan. “You were really prepared to do it. I can see it in your eyes.” In awe, Hala stood back up. With a look of genuine regret, Hala continued, “I apologize again, everyone. I will summon Tapu Koko and scold it for this aggression. Sometimes it gets too bold, and I must reign it in, so to speak.”

Ash grumbled, “Tell Tapu Koko that I am not going to let it bully me like that anymore. And tell it that if it threatens my family or friends again, we will fight.”

Hapu and Olivia sighed, but Nanu interjected, “Ash, I’m reasonably sure it got that message from you already. You’re relatively intimidating when you want to be, for a boy of your age.”

Goh was just thinking the same thing as Nanu when Burnet started herding people into the car and recalling Pokémon. Kukui said, “Burnet, you take the boys and Lei home and head back for me… I want to stay here and talk to the Kahunas.”

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

After all the excitement, Parker was understandably spooked. He held onto Goh in the back seat the entire way home, even though Goh would usually be a bit embarrassed by it. Everyone was a bit shaken up. The ride home was quiet aside from the wind. Once they were home, Burnet said, “Ash, I’ve gotta run back for Kukui. Can you take the baby? Do you have your house keys?”

“Yeah, and I brought my keys.” Ash unbuckled and grabbed Lei from his car seat. “Drive safe.”

“I will. You boys go inside and calm down, okay? That was a fun party; you just have to take things like that in stride. The Tapus generally do things for a reason, especially if the Kahunas are involved.”

Ash replied, “I know. I just wish they hadn’t scared Parker and Lei. Pissed me off.”

Burnet frowned. “Me too, sweetie. But we’ll be okay. Nobody is hurt. I’ll be back quick.” Goh and Parker climbed out, and Burnet sped off.

Lei was pretty quiet and tired at this point. Apparently, the fright earlier had tired the infant out. Ash opened the door and said, “Parker, are you okay, buddy?”

As they entered, Parker replied, “Yeah. That was just scary.”

Once they were inside, Goh said, “You were very brave, Parker. Good job.” He reached down and hugged the little one. “Do you want a glass of water? That might help you calm down.”

Parker wiped his eyes and sniffled. “Yeah.”

Goh smiled as they broke the hug. “Alright, I think I’ll have some, too. Then we can go brush our teeth.”

Pikachu followed along as Ash walked with Lei over to the living room, which was dark. “It’s okay, Lei. Big brother won’t let any big bullies hurt you.” Lei babbled a little bit in reply as Ash sat down in the rocking chair and started gently rocking the baby like he’d seen Burnet do before. Ash’s legs were shaking; the adrenaline rush was finally subsiding.

The house was silent as Goh and Parker did their little water break and brushed their teeth. Goh emerged from the bathroom and said, “Ash? You sure you’re okay?” Goh got closer to them and saw tears running down Ash’s face. “Babe? You okay?”

Ash nodded, “Yeah. We’re okay.”

Goh sat down on the couch. “Ash?”

“Yeah?”

Goh continued, “When Parker’s done in the bathroom, you should go brush your teeth and use the bathroom yourself. You’ve had a long day.”

Ash blinked and wiped his eyes. “Okay. Good idea.”

“Pikapi.” Pikachu sat against Ash’s leg, concerned for the trainer.

Ash let out a ragged sigh. “I’m okay, Pikachu.”

Parker walked out of the bathroom and stretched. “I’m gonna change into my jammies…” He walked toward the ladder and looked back at the older boys. “Would it be okay if I slept with you guys tonight?”

Goh quickly responded, “Yes, that’d be fine, Parker. I can’t blame you, man.” Parker nodded as he climbed the ladder. Goh looked at Ash. “Ash. Sweetie. Let me have Lei; you go brush your teeth and stuff, okay?” Goh stood up and stuck his arms out. “I can handle the sleepy little guy, I think.”

“Uh. Yeah… Good idea.” Ash blinked absentmindedly and shakily handed the infant to Goh. He looked up at his boyfriend. “I understand why the Tapus did it. I just wish we’d had some more warning…”

Goh nodded. “I know, sweetie. Go brush your teeth. Let your Pokémon out, too.” Ash nodded absentmindedly and walked off.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

Twenty minutes later, Kukui and Burnet walked into the house. There was a sharp shushing sound. The adults looked over and found Goh sitting with the baby on the couch. His eyes were about to pop from his head. He quietly mouthed, “He’s asleep!” He was terrified they’d wake the baby. He did _not_ know what he’d do with a crying child.

Kukui half-chuckled and walked over. “I’ll take him,” he whispered. “Thanks for watching him, Goh.” With a look of intense concentration not often seen on a teenage boy, Goh gently transferred the baby to Kukui. He looked thrilled when Kukui walked away with a still-sleeping Lei.

Once Kukui walked into the bedroom, Burnet walked over to Goh with a satisfied smile. “Good work with Lei, kiddo. You okay?”

Goh sighed but offered a smirk before he replied, “Yeah. I’ve been in crazier situations with Ash. It’s just part of being around him.”

Burnet laughed. “I figured. Ash is a magnet for unusual things. I heard of his doings in Unova. He’s an interesting person.” She stood up. “Are Ash and Parker downstairs?” Goh nodded, and she beckoned him along. “Let’s go check on them. Ash looked rough.” Goh followed along.

Kukui appeared and followed them downstairs as they walked by the bedroom door. Kukui said, “Good job getting Lei to sleep, Goh. He must like you.” Goh smiled and said thanks, unsure what else to say. When they walked into the new room downstairs, they found Parker clinging onto Ash on the new bed. The room was bare aside from Ash and Goh’s suitcases and a tray table they were using as a temporary nightstand.

Ash and Parker sat up when they saw the adults and Goh approaching. Burnet eyed the two boys. “Hi, Ash. Oh, look at—I’ll be right back!” She darted out of the room, leaving all four of the boys to stare in confusion.

They all exchanged confused glances and shrugged. Kukui cleared his throat. “Uhm, Ash. I talked to Hala. I almost started a fight with him, actually. It’s a good thing Olivia was there to keep our heads cool.” Kukui scratched his neck, still trying to think of how to say the rest of what he learned.

Goh slid onto the bed next to Ash and said, “So, you weren’t the only one that was angry, Ash…” Ash made a half-hearted smile.

Parker mumbled, “Is he okay? Hala. He wasn’t looking good when we left.”

Kukui raised an eyebrow. “Oh, Hala? He’s okay; he just needed time to cool down.”

“Oh, okay. That’s good.” The room was quiet for a few moments.

The silence was growing awkward when Burnet’s voice sounded outside of the room. “Hey, Parker! Come here, sweetie.” She was standing outside by the conference table that Kukui kept in the basement. She was holding a rag, a towel, and a small bowl of steaming water. “You’ve got some stuff on your face; mind if I clean it off really quick?”

Parker blinked. “Uhm, yeah, okay.” He slid out of bed and went out the door.

Kukui quickly closed the door behind him. “My gosh, that woman is amazing.” He smiled before turning around. “Look, I’m not telling you this to scare you; I want you to be proud of it.” Ash didn’t react; he was waiting for the point. He took a deep breath. “If you hadn’t stood up to Tapu Koko like you did, he would have killed you.”

Ash blinked. “Oh.” Pikachu climbed onto Ash’s lap protectively. “That’s no surprise. I saw it in Tapu Koko’s eyes. His eyes had something more than they usually did. Something… Dangerous.” Ash rubbed his temples, sighing.

Goh barked, “What kind of fucking rituals involve the Tapus killing someone?”

Kukui sighed. “It’s an old ritual. Before the democratic government we have now was a thing, Alola’s leaders were selected by a system that factored in the person’s age, a nomination from their village elders, and the opinions of the four Kahunas. Pokémon battling was usually involved, just like with the present-day Champion. The final candidate would be presented to the Tapus by the Kahunas during a feast ritual where a bonfire was lit in honor of the Tapus. They would test the resolve of these candidates like they did Ash. If they showed any cowardice or lack of commitment, the Tapus would kill them.”

Goh yelled, “That’s–” He caught himself and lowered his voice. “That’s fucking crazy!”

Kukui shrugged and clasped his hands behind his head. “I agree. But, it was the method they used for millennia. It worked well for our ancestors, usually. Most of the candidates passed the test, but a few did perish. Hala believes the Tapus saw this as a similar ritual and recognized Ash as one of the region’s most accomplished battlers. They saw it as the time for them to determine his worthiness for leadership.”

Ash spoke up, “Would they have hurt anyone other than me?”

Kukui shook his head. “No. What they did was solely for you. The rest of us were of no consequence to them.”

Ash didn’t seem relieved as he muttered, “Thank goodness.” He wrapped an arm around Goh. “See? This is the shit that happens when I get comfortable somewhere, Goh. People get hurt because of me. Crazy shit happens because of me!” Ash slammed his fist on the bed. “I’ve seen and done so many cool things, but the cost is this chaos that follows me around.” He fell backward and covered his eyes with his hands. “It’s a curse.”

Goh and Kukui weren’t sure what to say. Kukui was the first one to speak. “Ash, if I can be honest with you… You’re like a son to me. If it means you get to be comfortable and happy here in Alola with us, we are willing to take the risk of wacky things happening.” He clapped a hand down on Ash’s chest. “I love you, buddy. Burnet loves you. Lei loves you. So why don’t you let Burnet and I be the adults? Let us worry about things like that and talk to us about this stuff. We can help you feel better.”

Ash nodded from beneath his arms as Pikachu bounced on Kukui’s hand. “I’ll try.”

Kukui smiled. “That’s good. I promise we can handle it. Especially if Goh is with us! You two make a great team.” He stepped back and opened the door. “We’re all done in here. Sorry for the wait, Parker. Had to tell Ash an important message from Hala.”

“Oh, okay.” Parker walked back in with a newly cleaned face. The child was exhausted. He didn’t have the energy to question things anymore.

Ash sat up and shouted, “Kukui!” The man turned around. “I love you, too.”

Kukui had wondered if Ash would say it back. Ash wasn’t one to say stuff like that a lot. With a wry smile and a wave, Kukui said, “Good night, boys.” He walked off.

Burnet walked into the room. “I hope that means me too, Ash.”

“It did,” Ash replied. He was even smiling, now.

“Good. Now hold still. It’s your turn for a face washing. You’ve still got something from dinner on your mouth, too.” She dipped the rag into the bowl of hot water and then squeezed it out. She put one hand on Ash’s head. With a soothing tone, she instructed, “Close your eyes and take a deep breath.”

Ash did as he was told, and Burnet went right to it. “Hold that breath for me.” She went about wiping Ash’s face gently and letting the warm rag do its work. “Now breathe out slowly. Imagine you’re letting all the tension in your body out.” She finished her wiping and said, “Now, open your eyes slowly. Feel better?”

Ash looked much calmer now. “That was great.”

Burnet smiled as she handed him the towel. As he blotted his face, Burnet ran her fingers through his hair. “See, that was something that my mother used to do for me when I was young. Whenever I’d have a bad day or something crazy or upsetting happened before bedtime, she’d do this to help me get to sleep.” She pushed him towards the pillows. “Now, lay down. And I love you too, by the way.”

Ash’s eyelids were growing heavier already as he laid down. “Thanks, Burnet.”

Burnet eyed Goh. “You. You’re next. C’mere.” She dipped the rag and squeezed it out again.

Goh did a doubletake. “Huh? Me? But my face is clean.”

Burnet’s mom-voice was coming out as she replied, “Yeah, genius, I know. Parker’s and Ash’s were too, I fibbed. Now, come on!”

Goh seemed uncomfortable at first, but he quickly stopped resisting once Burnet started wiping his face. It was over quick, and he felt a lot better. Burnet stood up and made her way out. “Good night, boys.” She checked to make sure that Parker didn’t mind sleeping in the dark (he didn’t), and then she was gone.

Goh took off his shirt and quickly changed into some shorts. Then, he let out Sobble and Raboot. Ash and Parker had both gotten comfortable in the bed, but Parker quietly asked. “Goh?”

“Yeah?”

“Can Rowlett sleep out here? Please?” There was a hint of vulnerability in Parker’s voice.

“Sure, buddy.” Goh let Rowlet out from his Pokéball. Usually, he’d let all the Pokémon out. However, at this late hour and after everything that happened, he figured the rest of them needed to rest in their Pokéballs. He directed Rowlet towards Parker and clicked off the lights.

With Rowlet sleeping on top of his pillow, Parker looked much more comfortable. Ash and Pikachu were already snoozing when Goh laid down so that Parker was in the middle of the bed, between the older boys. With a yawn, Goh asked, “You comfortable like this, Parker?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. Fair warning: Ash is a cuddler. If that’d creep you out or anything, you and I can trade spots.” Goh halfway hoped Parker would want to swap.

“That’s okay. I wanna be in the middle of the bed. That’s what Mom and Dad let me do when I have nightmares.” Pause, and he nervously asked, “Are you sure it’s okay for me to sleep here?”

Goh smiled in the dark. “Yeah, kiddo. We don’t mind. That was a scary moment back there; I wouldn’t want to sleep by myself either.”

Parker defended himself, drifting into sleep as he said, “I’m… not scared… Promise.”

Goh put an arm over the little one. “I know, kiddo.” As if by reflex, Parker reached his hands out and loosely took hold of Goh’s arm. As he fell to sleep, Goh caught himself thinking… It _had_ been a full day. More than anyone had bargained for… Maybe he and Ash should do something special tomorrow. Nobody had any plans, anyway. Goh considered ideas of things to do as he drifted into sleep.

As exhausting as the day had been, all of the boys ended up having the best night’s sleep they’d gotten since arriving in Alola. They deserved it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading all 4400 words of chapter 10, y'all. I missed my self-proclaimed date of March 10th for the upload date by about 15 minutes hah. Whoops. And a big welcome to all the new readers, btw! Thanks for reading and don't forget to hit subscribe so that AO3 will email you when I post new chapters! :)
> 
> Yeah, like I said previously, I wanted to include some angst in this story. A little bit of drama and character moments. As always, I am still looking for story ideas (or even prompts). We've got plenty of time left in Alola for me to write out lol.
> 
>  **ALSO, I am still searching for a beta reader! See the end notes in chapter 9 for additional details on how to apply for the position.** Maybe if I had a beta reader they coulda told me this chapter was too long (or just right, idk?)
> 
> FINALLY, what do you think... Am I keeping the familial vibes going strong? Is there any characterization flaws or anything you've noticed? Alternatively, as we've reached chapter 10 now, what has been your favorite chapter so far? 
> 
> Seeya with chapter 11 sometime during the weekend or at the beginning of next week! 💜  
> ~JJ


End file.
